Yeah my friends couldn't believe it when $#!t hit the fan and I quit drinking. To them I was the one that had it all. Long marriage, owned my house and cars, good kids, good career. I was the one always called to bail them out, be there when they had family problems etc.... They just couldn't see that I had a problem.
Several of my old drinking buddies are divorced. A couple have committed suicide in the past couple of years. Some have several DUI's and all kinds of dysfunction and drama. We're all in our late forties and early fifties. You'd think it was time to grow up. Some of these people still can't understand why I had to quit drinking and think it was because my wife was just a harsh b!Tc#. In reality she was just trying to save me (and herself) from the fate that they are now realizing.
I have had a couple of them tell me that they wish they could do what I'm doing. What am I doing other than trying to save my own a$$? Self preservation, common sense but that's a difficult concept when your constantly inebriated. Only took me till 49 to figure it out.
Great post and good job getting your life back.