BarrelRoll

It's easy to accept that being an alcoholic causes plenty of trouble, but I don't think that was the question. Isn't it "why do we drink when we already know that?"

@EndGameNYC - I can see and appreciate that you've put a lot of thought into the topic. I also stress that whatever works for you and others is what people should stick with. But everyone is different.

Personally, I'm not connecting the dots as to why exploring the question is somehow an excuse to keep drinking until the answer is found. In a war, I'd be on a reconnaissance mission to find out everything about the enemy as possible. If there's a negative behavior in someone's life and the root causes are uncovered, there's a better chance of those behaviors dissapating when discovered and dealt with.

The advice of "you're broken and you shouldn't care why" is something that I don't feel *I* can accept. Forgive me if I've in any way misunderstood, though. I imagine under that, I'd be forced to willpower my way through life and continue to look at alcohol as some golden nectar I'm depriving myself of. I don't picture my self-esteem ever returning with that philosophy either. It sounds miserable.

That isn't how I want to live and I don't think I have to. While sober, I've been discovering the root causes and triggers for my drinking. I cope poorly with stress, so I take better steps to lower it. Boredom is a trigger, so I do my best to stay occupied with hobbies like reading and walking. Intraspective thought has helped expose alcohol for what it truly is: A powerful poison with no real benefits. It isn't a party favor. It's drug addiction like heroin, just in a socially accepted form. I no longer romanticize alcohol.

If during this post you feel I put any words into your mouth, that wasn't my intention. And I do stress that whatever method someone is using successfully should be continued.