Thanks nmd. That is incredibly helpful. You're making some excellent points. That being said, it is astounding to me how difficult it is to rewire the brain, so to speak, to be able to enjoy the simplest activities without the added "kick" of whatever substance one was addicted to. Whenever I'm doing something enjoyable I find myself thinking: "This would be even better after a few drinks." The struggle is in trying to go "deeper" into the experience, which one is able to do sober, as opposed to just wanting that immediate gratification that the monkey-brain affords us when we're high.
I was at a concert the other day and found myself craving booze (or something) really bad at first. I used to love having a few whiskeys before a show. But then I started really getting into the groove of the music and I got totally immersed in the experience in a way that I don't think I've been able to do for a long time.
Alcohol is particularly deceptive because it's socially acceptable. Almost socially required. If I knew someone who had to do coke every time they watched a film or went to a concert I would find it pretty pathetic. But that's what I did with booze for years. Getting sober, as painful as it is, is a bit like being released from The Matrix (or Plato's Cave, or whatever other analogy you want to use). All of a sudden you realize that your experiences have been covered in a thick layer of ******** and that you're now seeing things as they truly are. This can be a painful experience, but one that is also deeply gratifying.