Alcoholism is like any disease - you can either go "oh, poor me, it's not my fault I'm being antisocial, it's just because I'm in so much pain/so depressed/whatever" or you can fight it. I have the greatest respect for those who fight it. Those who fall over but then stand up again, make *apologies* rather than excuses and blaming it on the illness, those who try and try and try every day of their lives no matter how difficult it is... The ones I don't have much respect at all for are the ones who don't try. Who say things like "it's just because it's Christmas" or "so-and-so was winding me up" or "I can't do it, it's too difficult", the ones who don't go to the support groups, don't use the help that's available, and trample all over the feelings of the people who care.