This reminds of when RAH got lost in his addiction & he surrounded himself with even lower-functioning people to make himself feel & seem "better than". There was definitely an element of like-draws-like happening there.
This sounds about right. For a time I did this myself -- and it's why I ended up in crappy relationships with narcissists and alcoholics.
water seeks its own level.
I like that. I've never heard that saying before.