Feeling successful after a period of sobriety is a common time for people to slip up. Sober time can bring back the old belief that you're in charge of alcohol. Be extra vigilant whenever you realize how long it’s been since your last drink.
You said----
"Life is really overwhelming and being able to get loaded and 'check out' is the only way I know how to handle it. But of course I'm not handling it at all."
I can’t speak for everyone with a drinking problem, but the majority of those I’ve met, grew up with high stress in the family along with lack of good coping skills being taught to handle stress in a healthy way. Bad combination.
Staying sober will force you to adjust, and discover better ways to deal with your probs. Many people take a lot of naps in the beginning of sobriety.
For anxiety, I learned that aerobic exercise calmed me down and also helped my insomnia. I never would have found these solutions if I kept turning to the bottle for help.
Wishing you the best