Originally Posted by
DriGuy 
I had that insight early on in recovery too. I searched and searched for some childhood repression, or some psychological quirk that was behind my drinking, but to no avail. There was no problem I could find buried deep in my past that warranted turning to alcohol.
Basically what I discovered is that I had no problems that caused me to drink, but that my drinking was the issue causing me problems. But I had to stop before I recognized that.
This may not be true of everyone. I've heard that Post Traumatic Stress can cause people to drink, and can easily believe that. But my problem was that a dangerous addictive chemical substance had taken over my life. The problem was much more simple than I imagined. The cure was simpler too; Just stop drinking. Sure go ahead and change other things in you life too, and that too becomes easier when you take alcohol out of the picture.
And as you pointed out, many of those things just disappear without having to force them or to take any further action. Yes, quitting was a white knuckle endeavor, but only for a short while.
My last few years of drinking I recall feeling rundown and burned out most of the time. It wasn't until I stopped that I realized how much alcohol affected by body.
At 35 I was still drinking like I did in my early 20's and I could no longer bounce back. For the last ten years my life was barely unmanageable. The day I stopped was the day I began to get my life back in order.
I recall sharing shortly after joining AA I was now going to the laundromat twice a week. I recall one member laughing and saying he can do a lot more than his laundry twice a week.
But he didn't get it. I hadn't been cleaning my clothes very often for years... and now I was.
After I stopped there were no more calls into the office asking if I had been drinking. My job performance improved immediately.
I've often shared at AA meetings the day I stopped was the day my problems associated with problem drinking also stopped. Which isn't to say I don't have other issues but to say that simply putting the bottle down was a life-changing event.
With regards to AA: Much of the bearing witness/self-flagellation heard in meeting is something I try and avoid.
I'm hard enough on myself as it is.