Are there different types of us, here at Al-anon, in the way there are different types of alcoholics? The problem drinker has problems that stop when they stop drinking, the alcoholic stops drinking and the problem persists unless treated properly, usually through like minded people. 

Can it be that some people are relatively healthy thinkers, get in tow with an alcoholic, gets a bit mixed up in the disease but when they put down the alcoholic they go back to their 'normal' lives, relatively 'normal' thinking? Is this the reason why some people come and go? 

If I was comparing myself to an alcoholic, I'm the full on, over and over again until complete surrender type of alcoholic. I've accepted that I will be a life long member of Al-anon and that as soon as I stop working it, my problems return, my thinking disease returns and my life goes back into the dark. Im coming to see that there is little difference between me and alcoholics. We kind of are the same, its the same thinking disorder that we have, the feeling different, low self esteem from an early age type of thinking. The only difference is the drinker 'chooses' uses drink as their medication while I used the drinker for mine.

I have chosen many different medicines over the years, food, cigarettes, studying, television, books, lots of other people. The list goes on. I couldn't get enough of any of it just like the drinker cant get enough of alcohol.

I recently learned about the 'Empty Ghosts' in Buddhism, where these ghosts with big bellys and tiny mouths eternally search for fullness but cant ever get enough. I'm an empty ghost in remission one day at a time. Im a grateful member.