nycguy83

The bars/nightclubs thing is huge for me... I live in NYC, I am in my 20s, and nightlife has been a major factor in my initial recreational drinking and substance use, in my crossing the line into abuse/dependence, and then in my backsliding after periods of sobriety in the past.

I am at 6 months sober (again) now, BUT the temptation / addictive voice is returning...

"it will be different this time"
"just go out and drink and dance for one night"
"you finally have your sh*t together so you can really enjoy it"

I am pretty good at confronting this reptilian-cortex-talk with the reality that drinking has not worked out for me in the past decade.

But what is not so easy to disarm is the temptation to go out and dance and hear music sober at a nightclub... Because I don't know whether it is more irrational to hide in my apartment when I know I would have fun if I can go out and hear a DJ, dance, and remain sober...

Or on the other hand, is it more irrational to risk going out at all into an environment that is heavily associated for me with drinking and using stimuli, where I may be more susceptible to temptation. The old adage of people places and things has some sense, but on the other hand I refuse to be a hermit.

Should I keep staying in weekends? Or is it irrational to hide from something I love, live music in a social setting, because I am afraid I will lose my willpower?

Third option is I could just wait until I have been sober for a longer period of time, maybe a year or 2, before I venture into a nightlife setting, that might be the sanest approach... but patience is not my strong suit.