quitting is only part of stopping drinking. It means you stopped picking up.
Otherwise you are just a dry-drunk.
Doing the same bogus things you do drunk.
The other part is recovering.
Learning to be in the world sober and less self centered, more aware of feelings and reactions, more resposible for the self.
recovery takes a lifetime.
Bologna. Some people feel sorry for themselves and blame it all on alcohol. I am not a dry drunk. I am not recovering. I am just not drinking. Decided not to just like I decided never to buy Sargento cheese again. You can try and convince me I have deeper problems but honestly I don’t. I liked drinking. I liked 18 year old blonds as well. I am doing neither. ;-)
What do you mean learn to be sober? Hell, I was born sober. What do I have to learn to be sober again. I was extremely functional as a drunk, more so than most people sober. It is like riding a bike. One or two pedals and boom... back riding again. At least it was for me. Like it or not quitting drinking other than the physical withdrawal has been as easy as pie for me.
It was harder giving up the blonds and I still crave them... LOL.
I don’t understand the whole needing a sponsor thing one bit, nor the 12 steps but I am extremely stubborn and once I set my mind to something come “Hell or High Water” I make it so.
What does "stopped picking up" mean?
Otherwise, I completely agree that not drinking also means a complete overhaul of your life...a growing up, if you will.
I think that's what Peterson meant when he said that alcohol had to be replaced by something better. That better thing has to be something that is meaningful, responsible, and enduring (like the things you mentioned). It can't just be another person, though it can certainly include other people.