Jimmy....proud of you for being at 8 mo, staying around here with us, so much stuff!
I'm just going to throw back in that more action specific to recovery is something you've touched on a few times- like when you mention tools- and it sounds like that would be super helpful to you right now. AA or something else- learning specifics for dealing with choices about people, places, events, everything is critical. That's how I began to sort thru the emotional stuff about relationships too.
I'm a big believer that each of us can make this sober life thing harder than it has to be (by doing it "alone," or not taking advantages of programs and resources available) and we really don't have to do that!!