For a real alcoholic, the only solution is total abstinence. And thats where, an alcoholics problem lies (cos he can't imagine a life without booze) and even if he indeed decides to put down the drink, his mind starts playing tricks on him/her and he ends up picking up the drink again. That is the vicious cycle. The only hope a "Psychic Change" as the Doctors Opinion talks about in the book called AA.
