When I was younger, I spent a great deal of time writing and playing music. I loved listening to it as well, but enjoyed composing more. As my drinking increased, my creativity decreased. I rarely finished anything I started, yet I had deluded myself into thinking alcohol inspired some of my best work I also believed substance abuse was a necessary component behind the inspiration for a lot of my favorite music from other artists. I told myself that, without that, their music would have been dull and uninteresting. Likewise, I believed if I quit drinking, I'd lose my creativity, my "edge." I can't speak for all the other musicians whose work I've admired, but looking back over what I produced over the decades lost to addiction, it's clear to see I really was delusional, and only on the edge of fading into obscurity!