I know for me, stopping drinking was only the beginning.
At that point, the hard work began.
Drinking is a symptom of underlying problems, problems that I had been avoiding for years and years. They were still there and I had to go through them.
I don't think it matters if or how you label yourself. The main thing is to stop drinking and to begin to recover. And, I know for a fact, that others (normies) do not understand addiction and make comments that show they don't get it. You need to follow your heart.