I never needed a reason to drink while I was an active alcoholic.
My experience was, I had seven months sober, not exactly long term sobriety. I was working the AA phone line and going to meetings.
Then, one day I was at a Laundromat with a beer store behind it.
I went and bought a twelve pack and drank it which sent me back to my old ways.
There was no rhyme or reason for it except that I'm an alcoholic.
Now, I have six years sober and it was tough to get here.
I haven't had an urge to drink. But, I try and keep my spiritual house in order, come here and just remember how I got here.
You ask a good question. I've seen people relapse after eight and twenty years sober, so I constantly have to be vigilant.