Scram

I have been having this thought more and more as of late. I'm pretty sure it's irrational, and just another misguided attempt at fixing myself. I mean, alcohol is available pretty much anywhere, and it's not as if anybody here in my hometown is forcing me to drink.

With all that said, I feel like I need a drastic change of scenery. Possibly even a rehab. I have no idea... Just rambling I guess.

biminiblue

No matter where you go, there you are.

DoubleDragons

I didn't move away to get sober, but I had to move to another state due to my husband's job. I have to admit that it was easier for me to quit drinking in my new neighborhood where no one knew me as a partier/drinker and I wasn't expected at regular social occasions that I have been attending for years. I have also been more selective in making friends in my new town, as a lot of my old friends were basically "drinking buddies."

So, it was still hard and the major part of my sobriety has been motivation to get and stay quit, but I do think being in new surroundings did make it easier for me. (NOT easy, but easier)

KAD

I tried that once but the addiction followed me. Just met a new group of drinking friends and drank more than ever.

ReadyAtLast

I didn't move to quit drinking but I did move when 4 months sober. I found it easier to re-invent myself somewhere new where no one knows my past. Of course I am still me but I am a better me sober than drunk and it helps not being reminded of people and places of the past. As I have never drunk here I have no reminders and I do feel it is easier for me to remain sober-along with a lot of other work too

I would probably still have moved if drinking but I know I would have a very different,worse life if I was still drinking. I would not have settled as well and not made as many good relationships if I had still been drinking.

If you have the opportunity to make a fresh start and feel it would help, for the right reasons then go for it.

Coldfusion

Funny, I have made this same post before... you are in San Francisco, and you are complaining about your location? I have been all over the world, and San Francisco is the best place I can think of. Have you tried finding recovery meetings that suit you?

Soberpotamus

I did move once, when I was turning 27. I moved to a town right outside of the college town where I'd graduate college from. That was my first attempt at sobriety and it lasted for one year. I am so thankful for that time period and remember it vividly and fondly. In retrospect, I see that my memory sharpened and that was the best year of my 20's because I can remember the details. I got healthy. It taught me that I could indeed get sober.

GracieLou

I know I had it many times. I thought if people would leave me alone or if I could run and be away from them all that everything would be okay.

I could get a grip on myself and my life.

Then I realized this....


This is the first thing that popped into my head when I read your post.

It does not matter what planet I am on much less what continent or city. I am still there. The problem is in me, not in my geological location. I can’t run from myself, my feelings, my thoughts or the pain but I sure tried for many years. Instead of running across the planet, I ran to the inside of a bottle.

Aellyce

I moved around a lot in my life: between cities, countries, across continents...
I am a firm believer that the environment largely influences us and especially our mental health and capacity to get better/worse. It's actually not a belief, but a great deal of scientific evidence supports it. I study similar things in my research as well. Environmental change can indeed be both very beneficial and destructive, and I definitely experienced both in my life.

So when my drinking truly escalated, I was living in an environment that was bad for me in nearly every possible sense, and on top I had a job that I grew to hate, a very difficult personal relationship, just generally far too much challenge. And I am someone who definitely likes and also needs challenges to be happy, but there is a certain limit. I could never get sober in that "negative" environment. I also could not get away from an addictive relationship. After a few years, I decided that I wanted huge changes and was also convinced that they were essential if I wanted to improve anything in my life. So I moved to a different state, got a new job, and a different lifestyle. It did help in terms of my general happiness and satisfaction level a lot, but it was not enough to get sober, without making the efforts of recovery. That took another few years.

I think positive environmental change can be beneficial, but not sufficient on its own, to overcome a serious addiction without the kind of self work we always discuss here.

zerothehero

I've moved a lot, and no matter where my closet happens to be, the skeletons are still in there. I am reinventing myself without moving for now, but it is confusing to those who know me. People (users) seem threatened by my sobriety. They'll have to deal with it for now. Or not.

ScottFromWI

My alcoholism lives in my head. It would be pretty difficulty to leave that behind if I moved, so I had to figure out a way to get sober here.

Flippt

I tried the "geographical cure" once myself. I thought because all the familiar places and people wouldn't be there it would be easier to not party. First thing I did when I got there was go on a giant binge before even looking for work.

Clementina

Changing your environment/location can be an amazing way to change yourself and set up a whole new life, with new habits. If you're in a toxic environment or around toxic people, that can be toxic for your own well-being. If most people around you are addicted to something, it's hard not to become addicted yourself.

On the other hand, in a new city it's hard to meet new people. It's easy to fall back onto alcohol as a crutch. Most people do.

Are you going to make these radical changes to yourself along the way? I think you could potentially run away and get a fresh start that will be more conducive to your new lifestyle. But like Bob Marley says, "You can't run away from yourself."

Keeping it in the day

Since 2008 to 2014 I have moved 10 times including 2 overseas moves. Doesn't matter what you do. You still take your head with you and therein lies the problem. Please try and settle somewhere even if only for 12 months, just to give your head a chance to calm down. Nowhere is perfect believe me. Kind regards, Jude.

Taking5

As I heard in an AA meeting once:

Cynthia10923

No you're not. Its what happens. Get out of the bad place that makes you sad. You'll be all right Just keep moving on

NightmaresOnWax

My sister has tried that numerous times. It hasn't worked and I'd say it has affected her very negatively overall, when you compare it to where shed be at if she had just quit and stayed in her home town. She keeps moving to try and sober up, which obviously costs money and she hasn't been able to hold a stable job for any length of time as a result.

Her issue, according to her is that her friends are influencing her.
The problem is there are drug users everywhere you go and if you keep getting involved with new ones, you keep getting the same result. I suppose it could work if you have a large group of current friends who are addicts and that is the only way you can think of to get away from them.
I'd say a much more sound decision would be to stay where you are and quit associating with those people/places.

Elodie

There's a quote from the novel Doctor Sleep. The main character is a recovering alcoholic. Anyway, the quote really resonated with me, when I was thinking about moving.

"There came a time when you realized that moving on was pointless. That you took yourself with you wherever you went."

But on the other hand, maybe it would be easier. Feeling like you're getting a fresh start could feel good.

wpainterw

This has been called the "geographical solution" and is usually discouraged by alcoholism and substance abuse counselors. Their reading on that is that this is a form of denial. Instead of confronting the problem an alcoholic may think "It's the place in which I live. If I only change that then everything will be O.K." But that doesn't mean that it's never necessary to change something, in addition to oneself. It's generally necessary to change one's friends, at least if they are all former drinking buddies. That's hard to do understandably. If one loses one's job and a move is the only way of preserving one's career, then it may be necessary to move. Loss of career may be but another obstacle in the path of recovery. But don't be mistaken. A geographical change is no magic solution to addiction. Presumptively it's a negative although there are some exceptions. Once having moved, it's vital to keep up a positive program of recovery, whatever that may be, remain in contact with other recovering alcoholics, obtain counseling if necessary, continue with medical advice.

W

soberjuly

I could probably find alcohol in a Muslim country. I could live on a deserted island and I'd be trying to ferment the pineapple juice. That's if I wanted to drink.

Better to work on the reasons you drink. Alcohol is a crutch, the key is to find a better crutch.