Covering sadness and noise with alcohol resonates with me. It's not so much sadness with me, but a mind that that just won't shut up. But there are also times that alcohol also took the edge off worries and anxieties. It numbed the mind in what felt like a relaxing way (it just felt like I nearly always overshot the right level of relaxation!). Without alcohol things can definitely have a sharper and more painful edge. But without alcohol in time there are fewer problems to deal with. I did also find before my mind calmed down, but it did take me about 3 months.