alphaomega,
that question of what i'm seeking was/is invaluable for me in all situations where i wanted to get drunk. when i get that crazy "gottagetdrunkdrunkdrunkandNOW" voice.
asking it allowed me to step back from the happening-urge-thing, take a breath, see what's going on.
i assume, always, that it's not about the actual alcohol, but about what i perceive it would "give" in whatever place i'm in.
from there, i can just sit with it after identifying better where i'm at/what i'm feeling or see if i can get what i think i need in a different way. or if i really "need" at all.
often, it was just a reaction, a reflex almost. the default go-to.
i don't see it as having anything to do with smart, strong or wise.
it's an irrational thing.
and i never dismiss it; looking at it, dissecting it, has helped me do this more easily each time it happens.
it rarely happens now.