Originally Posted by
Avice 
I know that from the outside it must look like I care about alcohol more than anything. Care isn't the right word, but it's impossible to explain what I'm going through.
I'm worried that not responding might lead him to believe that I don't care. Or maybe not responding is the best thing because it'll show him that I respect the boundary he's laid down.
You don't need to explain, most of us have been there before and we understand. Your worries should be focused 100% on what you plan to do about your drinking, not what others think about it.
Your addiction would have you think that you can explain things away, but the reality is that sobriety is the only thing that will give you the chance to mend the fences with others.