I found that after getting some sober time under my belt it really screwed with my drinking. But that didn't stop me, I just seemed to go into a darker place when I drank. But yeah, the whole idea about recovery is to find a way to become comfortable in our own skin so we don't feel the need to escape. Find a plan that helps you get to that point and life can be reasonably good without alcohol. For me that was working the 12 steps. It allowed me a way to clear away the wreckage of the past (which lifted a huge burden off of my mind) and gain a whole new perspective on my life.