It's funny, I've had kind of the opposite reaction. Although I can't know how I'd react if it were in court, I've found myself far more sympathetic towards other alcoholics, addicts, or generally compulsive people than I was while actively drinking. I feel like then I radiated out all the same really intense really abusive thoughts that I was turning on myself... the only reason this problem exists is because I/you are weak, I/you are a bad person for having this problem, I/you deserve to be treated harshly over this.
Now I find when I hear about people behaving badly due to their addictions, I get two feelings instantly: relief that I am no longer likely to do something similar, and extreme sympathy for the person for being outed and shamed publicly for their addiction. I guess partly because it could have happened to me and didn't, and partly because I'm starting to see that I'm not a bad person underneath it all.