Welcome, WantTheGoodLife. It seems like you understand more about the situation than you might realize. Simply put, he is an addict, and is self medicating (now with alcohol) to numb something deep down that needs real attention. None of that is your fault, and please don't lose yourself trying to fix it for him - you can't. I lost myself trying to "help" my addict husband. All to no avail. He had to do it on his own. He is now in recovery. Anyways, I digress.
But, he has also been claiming since then that he recognizes he is an addict and is recovering, while in actuality he has not been in recovery. -- Recognizing you are an addict/alcoholic and working at recovery are two very different things. It is good that you realize that. He knows that too, but they are very good at giving us just enough to keep us on the line.
I always recommend face to face help - Al-Anon, counseling, reaching out to your church, etc. Coming from an introvert, I really understand if you feel hesitant to do that. I will tell you, you won't regret it.
Keep reading and posting! We're here for you.