Originally Posted by
lostmyway 
... I just want the immediate gratification of a drink, and I don't want to think about the "...and then what?" part. Does any of this make any sense? Do the cravings ever go away? When do people in recovery start to become truly grateful?
These are the differences between abstinence and recovery;
Abstinence is not not drinking and feeling bad about it.
Recovery is not drinking and feeling good about it.
What you are beginning to discover is that you need an alternative way of feeling good about your life without the artificial comfort that the drinks give.
What you need is start using spiritual principles that get spiritual results. I know that it does not make much sense but spiritual principles don't need to make sense in order to work.
For me peace of mind, joy and sense of purpose has replaced instant gratification. It takes longer to get results but the results last longer.