I heard someone say, “nothing like Arkansas in the rearview mirror!” to illustrate a point about running away from problems. It’s also been termed a “geographic” – meaning, if I move away to another city, state, country, I will leave the problems behind. This sounded like a good idea – boy was I ready to escape! I had entertained those thoughts myself because addiction and drug abuse was creating havoc in my life and I was at wits end. I felt cornered where the only way out was to pick up and move!
I have since learned that running away doesn’t solve anything because I still have to live with myself! I can’t run from me – but early on I did not see my part in the equation. I only saw what THEY were doing. Detach with love! Detach with anger! Detach however you can! These were recurring suggestions. Not knowing how to detach, one thing that did work was to take “mini geographics” with my husband in our travel trailer. These little escapades, new to us, in an old used hunting trailer my husband brought home, became my way to detach. For one long weekend I would go to the mountains, the ocean or a lake and have serenity. Eventually I found my higher power. Eventually I learned how to focus on my life again with no outside influences; phone calls, knocks at the door, newspapers, neighbors. We detached, if but for one weekend at a time!
These road trips were my time: to read, paint, take walks, kayak. I could sleep; sleep some more and read my recovery material. I worked on me, and what I gained was health: spiritual, physical and mental. I fondly think of my old trailer as my “mobile serenity” which helped me understand the solution to my problems begin with me.
Thanks for article. I appreciate you sharing the information. For an addict or alcoholic, I have heard positive and negative references to taking ‘geographics’. People truthfully say that wherever you go, you are taking yourself (defects included) with you. The important thing is to treat your (or your child’s) alcoholism/addiction. On the other hand, moving from home to go to some sort of treatment facility or sober living is not a bad idea. First off, going somewhere to seek definitive help shows that intentions are in the right place. Going somewhere away from home and thinking you cn do it with your own resources just may be a little romantic. But as far as going to a recovery place, it may be good to start recovery in a place away from old hangouts, friends, routines, etc. I sent my son to a sober living away from his hometown. He has now been sober for a long time and he still resides in the city where he got sober. He is happy and sober!