I suspect the key is your mention of alcohol. When used to excess, alcohol is serving as a coping mechanism... in that it is seen by the system as a threat, and considerable consciousness must be diverted to insure that it gets processed out of the system without damaging the brain and other organs too much. This diversion serves to reduce ones awareness of ones pain, fear, and other emotions which one does not want to deal with.

The person who uses alcohol to excess does so on orders to his/her bran from his/her MIND, as the means by which his/her MIND keeps him/her unaware of what it is repressing within itself. When ever the anxiety generated by such repression becomes more than one can easily ignore, ones MIND initiates its Defense Mechanism, D-M, and thoughts of needing a "drink of alcohol" are sent to ones brain.... including the supporting thoughts which rationalize, justify, and excuse doing so.

As a child, your MIND "learned" to accomodate the programming of the parent's MINDs... and did so to insure that you would not be abandoned [this was before three years of age]. The enabling tendency is the result... wherein you find it difficult to simply walk away from the situation.