Thank you, less. I really relate to this. All those same things you describe drove me to alcoholism as well. You are right. We are still the same people without the alcohol, and we must change our beliefs and habits for lasting sobriety. We are working out the emotional sobriety part. I think it’s the same as emotional intelligence, which I don’t think I had a good foundation in prior to starting drinking in my younger years. I think I had a fear of both failure and success and didn’t believe I deserved anything good. I am so much more confident and self accepting after two years of sobriety and everything I have worked through (and still am).
Glad you are working through this with a good therapist. Isn’t therapy a trip? I loved it. Still go occasionally.
Be careful not to overthink things, though
