Everytime my old using buddies would call me I'd talk about recovery, accountability, honesty, One Day at a Time. Whenever they'd whine, endlessly (like I used to!) about how much life sucked, I'd say "And what are you doing to about it today?" Nothing sent them skittering away quicker!
I actually wasn't trying to get rid of them...I was still way to co-dependent for that...I had found a real, tangible solution and I honestly thought others would follow. Not a one did.