I've had my fair share of family alcoholics. In every case, it has been a response to existential emptiness, and if they weren't destroying themselves with alcohol they'd be doing it some other way. In fact, I think this is a big part of the reason so many people are obese.

This view is supported by science. Research has shown that rats housed in isolation, or with stimulus deprived environments compulsively use cocaine when given the option, while rats housed with other rats in enriched environments use it sporadically.

We need to take a long hard look at our society.