Why is quitting alcohol different?
I've been hooked on a couple of things in my time: Cigarettes, Amphetamines, and Alcohol.
I quit Amphetamines years ago. They made my anxiety so unbearable that I had no choice. It was a struggle but I managed it. After about 8 years with no follow up treatment I am still free of them and have absolutely no desire to do them any more.
After many false starts I quit cigarettes in April 2006. I used patches for 10 weeks and have remained free of the smokes for over 3 years now. I have occasional thoughts of smoking but that's it - no desire to smoke them any more. I have had no follow up treatment.
Now I'm qutting Alcohol. I've had a few false starts but am on the right track. I'm seeing an addiction specialist weekly and taking Naltrexone (damn the nausea).
The common consensus here (I think) seems to be that I need to work a program for the rest of my life to remain clean. Why is this the case? Why is addiction to alcohol different to the above addictions? Until I started reading this site I expected what I would need to do was the same as for Amphetamines and Cigarettes in that I do what works for me for 6 to 12 months and the rest would come naturally?
I'm interested in peoples opionions. Especially those with 12 or more months sober as to why they continue to work a program to maintain sobriety? Do you think you would relapse if it wasn't for the program even with this long sober?