Sometimes it goes too far: replacing one addiction for another

Sometimes no matter the consequences, you just have to put a firm foot down. Deciding the first time to quit the oil field to get away from the life wasn't easy. We moved back yo Tulsa and I went to college finally. Something I should have done when I was younger,  but I went. I liked school this time around. I had friends, everyone in my classes were nice. I guess that's what happens when people grow up. I spent almost a full year training to be a Surgical Technologist. I liked medical training a lot. At the end of training came time for the RANDOM drug test. I was panicking that day. I knew I would fail and I did. I failed and was denied my final exam until I passed 3 drug tests. In that time frame my ex had decided he was going back to the oil field and I was to go too.. no questions asked. We moved to Houston where I was promised an externship as soon as I passed my tests, which I did. Did I get my extern? Nope..denied.. turned away.. career lost because of drugs. Gone, bye bye.. so I decided to study online for veterinarian tech. I stayed clean. We moved to North Carolina a few months later where my ex was away at work A LOT to my delight,  I felt free to have a life which I never had before. I did my externship and loved every minute of it. Then my ex decided if he couldn't have his drugs, he would start tipping a bottle instead, which wasn't new but never too bad. It never got too out of control until one night. We went to a NASCAR race and when we came back I was attempting to get the kids to bed. He decided he wanted to party with the drunk college kids outside.  I got angry and blew up on him. That didnt sit well, next thing I knew I was pinned down on the couch being choked. It took every ounce of what I had left to kick him in the chest, making him fall backwards and for me to grab my kids and run to his sisters house next door.
Dealing with an addict can be dangerous.  Especially one who is afraid to admit they have a problem.  When they replace drugs with alcohol or even mix the two. They have no conception of good and bad. Nor do they care.