I saw you pick up on something important in your post that tells me you do know the first step of a path for you!
You said "Often use that as an excuse to say to heck and drink".
Excuse anymore has a fairly negative sound to it, but I don't see it as such. To me it is simply a recognition that the voice of mara (alchohol) is calling to you. My mind is a liar and will use anything that happens as an excuse to drink at times. "at times" is the key ... the times it does this become farther and farther apart. Please remember that day 11 could be Mara calling you again to take another drink ... lying.
Some times when I have entered sobriety things have sucked for a very long time, other times I have bounced up fairly quickly. But I do bounce back eventually if I don't drink.
Keep your head up for you are stronger than you think!