That is really interesting. I really hit a downward spiral 2.5 years ago when I moved there, although I had been a problem drinker since my teens (I'm 37 now). I couldn't meet the type of people I wanted to meet, so I often just ran with the party crew by default. I actually live in Santa Barbara now, and I'm attending an AA group that I like.
I also found that it was way too easy too isolate. I liked drinking by myself the most, but all drinking was great. Until it wasn't. And yes, I also had a gambling addiction, which luckily, I really abandoned about two years ago. That one seemed relatively easy once I simply took a look at my finances.