Change indeed.
Alcoholism is primarily a 'thinking' problem. Unless your thinking dramatically changes then you're just gonna end up picking up again sooner or later. Why wouldn't you if you're still exactly the same person?
Total acceptance that you're an alcoholic and that drinking only leads to jail, institutions or death. I know that to be undoubably true for me. That is simply not the case for Joe average. They ain't alcoholics so they can drink alcohol, I can't drink alcohol because I'm an alcoholic.
Untill I truly accepted that I'm an alcoholic then I didn't stand a chance. The same goes for accepting I'm also a drug addict too. This means that any drug is off-limits as I'm an addict.
I have found I have reached the stage in recovery whereby I couldn't think of anything much worse than putting a foreign chemical into my body. I don't wish to alter my mind anymore. I am happy and accept it the way it is... most of the time! haha.
A daily work in progress fundamentally underwritten by the foundation of total abstinance from alcohol and drugs 'just for today'.