I can usually never add to what Richard writes, but the one thing he forgot at the end of this sentance, "Of course, your other option is to keep drinking, and getting what you are getting now" is this, "OR DIE". There's an oldtimer at my meetings who I absolutely love, and none of us is satisfied when he shares unless he says the line he's known for: "you can either keep coming to meetings and do the work or you can go out and die, it's that simple." Alcoholics who don't get sober die. We all die, you may say. I for one, chose not to die from alcoholism, and chose to live out my days sober and happy. Sobriety is simply a choice. The red pill or the blue pill, if you will. Which will you choose?