I think you have to grit your teeth through the relapse-likely phase and just
stick to not drinking for any reason.
After a couple of cycles that pull to drink gets less.
Sort of like the pull a planet has on a spaceship--get far enough out
from the planet (drinking) and the gravity well loses its grip gradually.
It did for me.
Just don't "give in" when the cycle comes around a few times and see for yourself.
If it was as hard over time to stay quit as it is in the beginning, maybe most
of us would be struggling in long term sobriety, but really, it gets much easier.
I have actual days and weeks now where I don't even think about drinking.
That never happened when I first quit.
Now I can be around drinkers and not even care to have one.
Again, something I couldn't do when I first stopped.