What is the right thing to say to an A with low self-esteem when he looks for compliments about his quitting for a while? (I'm asking for myself because these other folks aren't interested in hearing advice like that offered here at SR).
Well as a recovered alcoholic I would ask him what else he was planning on doing, because drinking alcohol is but a symptom of alcoholism?
As an alcoholic when I would try to stop and would be kind of successful at it (in reality I had not quit, I was just hiding it very well and drinking a bit less) my wife would tell me "Thank you for not drinking this week" I would say thanks and say to myself "Dude I put one over on her and would up my daily hidden consumtion until she called me on my drinking again.
The right thing to say to an alcoholic who has not drank in a little bit is something to the effect of "I hope you can keep it up because you are disgusting when you drink." Some thing sweet like that.