Fantastic Captain John, congrats to you! Although you say that the battle will never end I'm wondering while the possibility of a relapse always exists, as with any addiction, eventually once enough time has passed, your cravings take a back seat while your coping skills trump. I am hoping that this is the case for you now. I quit a two pack a day smoking addiction many years ago although it took about five years for all of the cravings to stop, I am now disgusted by the smell and know I will never go back. I'm confident that will be the case with alcohol. Eventually after enough time has passed the smell of booze on someone else will be unpleasant to me which will help me to keep my resolve in social situations and the constant replay of how I feel about myself after a day/night of drinking will help me through other difficult times.