Great shares! My experience has been the same regarding denied progression. The often unfortunate feature of the course of alcoholism/addiction is that we tend to only see and acknowledge it in retrospect. I, too, ended up a 750 ml liquor drinker (or more) a day, although towards the end and during my relapse, I was never able to drink every day because it made me too sick, a sign how compromised my system had become.
But back in time, I never seemed to worry about the 14-16 old myself, who often spent the second 2/3 of parties sick in the bathroom from drinking too much too fast... it "only" happened every other weekend after all, and while my parents regularly expressed concern about my going home from parties smelling of booze, don't the coolest teens try edgy things?
Then, in my 20's, I rarely drank - maybe once every other month? Maybe because I was busy swinging between my eating disorder and excessive, exhausting working/studying. Again, people around me expressed concerns, but what do I care about others' opinions?
Then I had a couple years intense "love affair" with psychedelics in my late 20's. Those are not addictive and expand our mental capacities, right?
Then, in my early 30's I became the "lady who drinks a little too much wine every night" (or day)... but oh well, it helped me sleep and put me in a good mood. Except when it did not.
On and on and on, until that off/on 750 ml (or more) spirit habit, where I finally fully recognized and acknowledged my addiction(s), but then came the aforementioned mechanism: I still have my job, could even get a better job, did not alienate my family (much), I am only an introvert who likes to be alone and do what I love... In my case, I think that I actually avoided comparing myself to anyone else, at all cost. I am myself, I am an individual, an individualist so to speak.... I will make all this work in my own way. Scary experiences, warnings, even health issues would not hold me back.
I feel that my first attempt at long-term sobriety (lasted a bit over 2 years) eventually failed (I relapsed) because, while I was able to progress in my recovery, I still mostly operated from that individualism and "terminal uniqueness". I still wanted too much in too many areas. Right now, in this second run, this is what I am trying to change but it's far from easy, having to completely turn over and rearrange my core beliefs and strategies.
Again, great post MIR, thank you.