Hi lucy, I don't think I've ever met what I would describe as a happy, active alcoholic. I know _alot_ of extremely happy people who are in recovery. What I've learned in Al-Anon is to practice some compassion for those who suffer. From what I've observed and read, there is no sense to this disease but there are patterns, facts and tons of statistics that show me it's something I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy. The same goes for the friends and families too- but once I learned about what I can do to make my own life better, I find some relief and alot of hope.