Originally Posted by awuh1

Why do people drink? They drink because they like the effect! The effect is that it makes them feel better. It often comes with a host of problems, often very VERY serious problems. Yet they continue to drink. Why? Because it makes them FEEL better NOW. It makes THEM feel better. Somehow FEELING GOOD NOW becomes more important than anything. How self-centered is that? It’s infantile when you honestly look at it. Waa Waa Waa I want my bottle now. Yes, that was me too, as much as I hate to admit it and as much as I told myself that this was not true.

Freedom from the boundaries of self. It’s the key for many. To adopt a principled life. To value the greater good, that is, what is best for all rather than what is good for me alone. And NOT to just value it, but behave in such a way that displays this principle. It’s a radical change in thinking for the typical alcoholic and it's often been shown to work.