Originally Posted by
LBrain 
To expect our outlook to change just because we remove alcohol from the equation is going to cause disappointment in many. Sure it may change one's demeanor, but 9 out of 10 times it is the person who must change regardless of alcohol or not.
But isn't this what the model is saying? That quitting in and of itself will won't make us happier. It is the reasons why we quit that will do this. I think it's saying that everything we do, including drinking or not drinking, we do freely and because we think that that choice at that time is the happier option. This is true even when we drink fully knowing that we will regret it afterwards: at the time choose to drink we think that will make us happier than not drinking in that moment. This seems to me to be true.
If we perceive our decision to quit in the same way, that is, we are sick of drinking and quitting has now become our happier option, then will be both abstinent and happy. If we quit for any other reason than personal happiness, and happiness means everything we need in order to be happy such as self-respect, confidence, a sense of being at ease and so on, then we will be abstinent but may also be sad because we feel deprived or fearful for example.