Many alcoholics deal with mental health issues. Alcoholics have many obstacles to deal with. Most of us drink to escape. I have horrendous stories to tell and my life was difficult, but I can't blame that as an excuse to drink. I am responsible for my own happiness and sobriety. It takes a lot of hard work to stay sober. I can't say I worked harder than any other alcoholic, but I do know it was one of the hardest things I've ever worked at. Most things came easy to me, quitting didn't. But I've succeeded in staying sober for years. I make no excuses and I don't claim that I can't stay sober because my situation is different and harder than others. In a sense, not very cool. Those who are sober and stayed sober worked hard. Again, I feel a certain accountability needs to be recognized. I think this would be extremely helpful in helping you find firmer ground in sobriety.