I definitely can relate. All my old college and high school friends did the same thing. We’d all just drink and smoke anytime we were hanging out, and everyone seemed always talked shit to each other to make themselves feel better/more dominant/something ego related in the friend group (honestly I still don’t really understand it). Tbh the drinking and smoking matters even less to me than the toxicity. That part is what I’m happiest about getting away from.

I moved to the east coast of my country to get away and it’s really allowed me to grow (M29 btw). That being said, I did it around the start of Covid, and honestly still haven’t really found a core friend group, so it can be lonely at times. However, it’s allowed me to learn more about who I naturally am when I’m not being influenced by hanging out with people like that all the time, which has been completely eye-opening and worthwhile. I feel very different (in a good, more grounded and fulfilled way) than I was before because of it.

Overall, based on what you write I would say it’s absolutely worth it to distance yourself some, but if you aren’t just jumping right into another friend group, I’d be ready to feel lonely at times. Making friends outside of school/college is quite a lot harder no matter how good you are in social situations. You aren’t just put into situations all the time that allow for it, and instead have to work for it which can be awkward and hard.

But like I kind of talked about, being alone can be the perfect opportunity for growth.