Yeah, the old "I'm doing better" line. It's part of them trying to have their cake, eat it too, and shut us up. My AH just recently told me that he thinks he's "doing better." Not sure if that means he's not out in the garage as much (he does a lot of puttering in that garage), or if it means he stopped at 5 vodkas instead of 6 at the bar, so he could get home 15 minutes earlier and I wouldn't be QUITE as upset, or if it means he's told himself that he probably should cut down but really hasn't.
But usually "doing better" has nothing to do with facing reality. And their doing better is still just another term for fighting the surrender they have to come to if they really want to beat it