The big book suggests to try some controlled drinking. Usually we can't do that, but time has proven that many can stay stopped on shear will-power alone for long periods of time (we are certainly hard heads!).
Someone suggested this to me:
Try not drinking, if things get better, alcohol was the problem and the solution is not to drink again.
Try not drinking, if things get worse, depression, irritability, restlessness and discontent is how you feel, then alcohol was your solution and you need a new one so don't drink and work the steps of recovery (or find another solution other than alcohol/drugs).