Originally Posted by
zenchaser 
I think that some of my dysfunction goes a lot deeper than drink or don't drink. I can not drink and be fine, in fact totally comfortable in my not drinking..... but I have other ritualistic habits and invasive thoughts that feed into the addictions. I'm generally an overly perfectionist, worry wort, neurotic underneath my persona. Drinking relieves or perhaps even helps to feed this under current of general discomfort and malaise and yes loneliness.
Zenchaser,
Everything after the "but" is your Addictive Voice. It is saying that alcohol is medicine for loneliness, neurosis, and worry.
As long as you believe that idea, and don't recognize it as the AV, your Beast will have you over a barrel, with ready-made pathways to more drinking. I posted on another thread about how the Beast is revisionistic. You may want to read the post.
The Beast is revisionistic -
If you have other problems or concerns unrelated to drinking, seek legitimate help and/or solutions for those problems, but never allow the Beast to change the motivation for drinking.
If you allow this, IT will prevent you from addressing your problems, and possibly get ITs fix to boot, which will cause more problems, which IT will then try to use as a reason for even more 'relief' (drinking).
It's a vicious circle.