Originally Posted by
newagerml 
... but that's life - learning to deal with these new emotions I always masked before, right ?
Right! Those that say "Don't drink, go to meetings, life will get better" are doing newcomers to recovery a disservice.
It is not life (the outside world) that gets better. It is emotions, equanimity and coping skills that gets better.
Now that I am "recovered", I still have bad days (maybe more than ever).
However, if I stay spiritually fit, nothing can disturb me enough that I feel that I am suffering. Like the old Buddhist saying:
"In this life
pain is inevitable
suffering is optional"