Some would say that it was his AV talking with you. AV wants the booze so as to maintain the alcohol level in the blood to avoid detox. Ironic in the sense that detox can be life threatening and the AV is desperately trying to preserve the "status quo". Trouble is of course that the "status quo" may likely become life terminating rather than life threatening. Treatment tries to break this vicious cycle. The longer the drinking and the greater the quantity of booze the harder things get. Irreversible liver damage or heart failure will terminate the struggle. But it's tough if the only way to sober up is in the grave. I've heard that the lucky ones get heart failure because liver failure is really horrendous.
W.