As others have said on here, it doesn't sound as if your friend was ever really sober. Sobriety is about a lot more than not drinking. I had to find out that our disease is spiritual, physical and mental (and it is primarily spiritual), and that is what our recovery needs to be as well.
They also used the word "proud" and ANYTIME I hear pride/proud used by a newcomer in ANY context, it sends up a "red flag" in my head. Pride is deadly for us and it needs to be eliminated.
This person needs a sponsor that has been sober for a long time and that he can see face to face on a very regular basis. I have long been hesitant to sponsor newcomers who are in therapy and are on medication. ALL newcomers are depressed, but most of this depression is from too much drinking and guilt, I don't believe they need more medication. By the same token, I am not going to sponsor someone who is going to take everything I say and run it by their shrink. I have been sober a long time, if someone wants me to sponsor them, then that is what they are going to get, but I WILL NOT "co-sponsor" somebody with a therapist.
your points on therapy, medication and recovery are well taken.
These things can have some value esp during the physical withdrawal stages but at some point it can become enabling.
Because the mental (spiritual) aspect of recovery is the deepest part.
I went to AA meetings, and I kept a detailed journal during this first six to nine months, and as I would sit in the AA meetings, a million thoughts would go through my head on a topic. By the time it came to be my turn to share, I would usually have a pretty good grip on how that issue related to my experience. So, after the meeting I would usually write for ten or fifteen minutes and capture my thoughts.
Our depressed FRiend should spend more time examining his thinking with the help of a long-time sober sponsor.