Here's an attitude typical of alcoholics that still rears its ugly head with me sometimes: it's called the "extraordinary worm" syndrome.
We feel that our failures are the most horrible and grotesque failures ever, so surely all eyes are upon us. On the flip side, we are extraordinary worms: we believe as we grow that we should be capable of perfection--and when we are found to be lacking, we go into a tailspin of horror, panic, and drama.
Truth be told, we are all just simple flawed people who want to get better.
If we discover that we have failed in some way, we should not leap off a cliff; rather, we should just take note, pick ourselves up, and resolve to do better in the future.
No horror--no recrimination. Just a lesson learned.