Getting getting sober in LA is the best choice you can make if you want to recover from addiction.  So, I have been asked on several different occasions why I wanted to leave New Jersey and fly out to L.A. to get sober. My first response was; “Well, who wouldn’t want to be in L.A.?” I had no reasons to back up my answer. However, after living here in L.A for the last year, I am able to explain why L.A. is such an amazing place to get sober and engage in recovery.

First and foremost, the weather. In New Jersey I can remember in the dead of winter how brutally cold and wet it was. The disaster of trying to drive in a winter storm, constantly shoveling my driveway, and wearing four layers of clothes just to stay warm is something that I could not stand. In New Jersey, you truly get all four seasons, which some people enjoy, but I do not. So when I researched California and saw what the weather was like it was a no brainer for me. L.A. is witness to over two-hundred sunny days a year. Only thirty days a year is it actually raining in L.A. The temperature hardly ever dips below fifty degrees, and there is a spring/summer vibe going on all year round. I play basketball outside in the dead of winter, in shorts and a cut-off. Now that is pretty awesome! The weather being as beautiful as it is there are countless activities to participate in on a daily basis.

Now let’s talk about the city of self-expression and individualism. Being an alcoholic in recovery, I was very insecure about many things: the way that I looked, the way I dressed, and what people thought of me. Basically, how I was viewed by the entire general public. In New Jersey, the mentality is different, people are not so open-minded and accepting to originality and individualism. So, that being said, I was unable to express myself in a way I liked, because of my crippling fear of being judged. In L.A. I do not have that problem. I dress and wear whatever I want to, without a second thought. Everyday I go out, see people wearing interesting outfits, and dressing the way they want. This holds especially true in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. Never will you find a group of people more free and more themselves than in an A.A meeting here in L.A. Witnessing my fellow peers in recovery engaging in self-expression reinforces the fact that I am not being judged and I can be who I truly am.

When I flew out here to L.A I wasn’t sure what A.A. would be like. New Jersey was the only other place where I had gone to meetings. It took two weeks for me to find meetings in L.A are unrivaled. There are over 3,000 meetings a week in L.A.. 3,000! When I first heard that I did not believe it; until I heard it over and over again. That means the recovery community in L.A has to be incredibly strong and very much sought after. The diversity of meetings in L.A. is awesome. You can go to your typical speaker meeting one day, then go to a yoga meeting, a meditation meeting, silent meetings, music meetings, book studies, participation meetings, men’s meetings, women’s meetings, meetings inside, and even meetings outside. I mean the list goes on forever on why getting sober in la is a good idea. What I find really cool is, the by-product of all these meetings and individuals in recovery; it leads to so many sober events and parties. There are groups of people who organize these sober events at public buildings, parks, museums, the beach, the mountains, and etc. So many people attend them! You can socialize, have a great time in a sober environment with sober people, and really see what life has to offer. I have built great relationships and connections with people throughout the sober community. I wouldn’t change it for the world. It really seems as if L.A is the holy mecca of recovery! That is what I find absolutely amazing.
So, fifteen months ago, I left New Jersey for L.A. to embark on a journey to save my life. I was not sure whether L.A was the spot for me or not, but after experiencing L.A. and all that this city has to offer I couldn’t be happier. There is nowhere in the world that I would rather have gotten sober and continue to live my life. I am truly blessed to be here in L.A. I feel like a part of such a great, influential, recovery community. My response to the question, “Why did you pick L.A?” is a lot different now than it once was.  Hopefully this post helped convince you of what I learned, that getting sober in la is the best idea for struggling addicts.

Contact Us at The Nook Sober Living for more info on getting sober in LA.

-Josh C