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Old 09-17-2020, 04:33 PM
  # 11 (permalink)  
ciowa
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 259
I dont know how successful my recovery would have been if I didnt move to a new state.

I lived alone in my own apartment a couple of blocks away from a big party strip of bars where I knew bartenders and the regulars. Many nights I would lay down to sleep but a simple social media message from the bar asking me if I was coming over was enough to get me up, throw on some clothes and walk in within 10 minutes. Close to midnight, Id leave the bar and walk about 50 feet next door to a liquor store and buy a bottle and a 12 pack and take it into one of the bars to be stored away for me. Then Id often stay after closing to drink with the bartender and other regulars who often did coke.

Walking to the convenient store or to pick up food was a walk through drinking friends standing outside having cigarettes or having people yell at me to come inside.

I moved to a place where I knew only about 5 people and all my social network consisted of people I met in recovery. I live in a suburb where I don't even see bars and there is probably a liquor store about 2 miles drive from here as opposed to a 4 minute walk where I came from.

My walks here are in the evening in wooded parks and not around the neighborhood of bustling noise, action and people everywhere.

I believe changing my environment played a huge factor in getting sober.
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