I agree to some point. I don't think looking for science is an unecessary complication. I think it is helpful to understand what is going on inside our bodies.
That said, science aside, there is only one way to stop and it sucks - put down the drink and stop the cycle.
What I've found in life so far is that any goal worth attaining causes some pain along the way. BUT, once you figure out why you want to meet a goal, the "how" is usually the easy part.