I've heard the same thing from people in AA. Honestly, I think it is something of an excuse to live with the problem (I'm not judging on that, fair enough). A

I've heard the same thing from people in AA. Honestly, I think it is something of an excuse to live with the problem (I'm not judging on that, fair enough). A coping mechanism, if you will, to live with relapses and so forth. I know at least one Alcoholic who is totally dry now (and will not touch a drink because he is scared of slipping back) and yet another who is a normal drinker again. In the first case the guy is pretty like those in the AA - but his coping mechanism is to have scared himself from drinking (again, no issue there - if it works...). The final example, though, suggests that alcoholism is entirely fixable in at least some cases. (note: I've had problems with slightly excessive/impulsive/habitual drinking in the fairly recent past, so some of this is from experience)