Jack, I didn't read the article and we don't even have a link to it, but in my experience some people don't get that second chance. So many ways to die from this.
It really only takes one try.
I also think it's pretty hard to research, I mean even if you went to 1000 AA meetings and took a survey, that's only a very small percentage of alcoholics out there, and a small percentage of those who have either quit or attempted to quit. It's a flawed survey model on so many levels. Many people quit in their twenties or thirties and never go back to it, or only drink a couple drinks a couple times a year. It's part of growing up for most people. I think if you're taking a survey in a rehab - the subjects of the survey have already proven to have big problems with quitting. I mean if I quit on my own, I don't go to rehab or AA - ever, right?
I mean, it doesn't even say - are we talking about chronic alcoholism? Problem drinking? Once a month binges? Daily moderate drinking? There is a wide spectrum, and I don't even know what this survey was focused on.