I asked a co-worker about this very thing a few weeks ago. He is a alcoholic who has started attending meetings recently. He said that booze has been his crutch for so long that anything that overwhelms him naturally gets soothed by alcohol. The meetings were something new, something confronting and therefore something overwhelming. Hence for the first few meetings, his desire to drink afterwards was very strong. Its an interesting point he gave, especially since he stopped drinking after his 4th meeting. I dont know how I personally feel about what he said but Im grateful for his honesty. And Ive tried not to judge.
On the other hand, you didnt let him push your buttons with crazy texts. Congratulations on choosing your health over his quacking. Thats wonderful strength.