Truly in a pickle with my living situation. Live with my father in the Rural U.P. of Michigan where there are pretty no jobs in my field (Social Work), but just getting sick of living up here. The pickle is I want to move but I don't think I have enough money to live on my own and where my mom lives is where I became addicted to drugs (almost 2 years clean). So what should I do because I believe if I go back to my mom's in Kentucky I will become addicted or do I stay in Michigan where I am miserable? Or maybe should I try it on my own? Thank You

Staying away from old friends is one way to help stay clean, but, it also shows you are not really kicked the addiction, since you can not just say no to the old friends, and not see the old ones.

And really Kentucky will have more social work jobs ?

Have you picked an area, and started sending resume to some city you want to live, and find a job there. Before you move?

You can do whatever you want to with a well thought out plan. Maybe start with a new skill that makes you better qualified for a job in a better market. Starting over or being retrained is not an easy path, but life isn't easy anyway.

Maybe a job in your field is scarce, but any job in any field is better than NONE, and gives you the chance to at least plan for a better one. Going back to Kentucky is an option also because you know the people, places, and things to AVOID, and you now know how to STAY clean and sober.

It's a matter of planning, AND PRACTICING what you have learned, and applying them positively.

Yes, I know how absolutely rural the UP can be ! Kentucky sounds more tastful and surely you can stay away from the people who got you in trouble the first time.

Start by looking for a good job everywhere you would consider living. When you have a job lined up, move where you have work. In the meantime do what ever work you can get and save as much as you can to prepare for moving expenses.

Thanks everybody for the suggestions, have really been wanting to go out west for a long time now and there has to be at least a few social work jobs either in California, Arizona, Nevada! Have always been a fan of the heat so I much rather prefer to be hot instead of cold!

Thanks everybody for the suggestions, have really been wanting to go out west for a long time now and there has to be at least a few social work jobs either in California, Arizona, Nevada! Have always been a fan of the heat so I much rather prefer to be hot instead of cold!
Check with Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services. Or once you decide in a location, call the public library there and ask this at the reference desk, a great place to start job hunting.

Employment Ads - National Association of Social Workers (http://www.naswma.org/?248)

Warmer than where you are, and Boston is a good town for roommates to cut way down on expenses.

But I just grabbed that in an instant by googling 'social work newsletter jobs' so I'm sure that there are postings in other professional publications.

Also, check out the websites of major cities like LA and SF. Most post gov't jobs. And again - roommates, especially in any college town.