Yeesh Booz, what a life you've had.   Thanks for sharing it, it might help somebody else.    

Some people are more inclined to compulsions including food, drugs, alchohol, sex, badmittin.......      Your 'toughen up' worked well for you, It's very similar to what a friend used on his addicted son, 'tough love'.      Different ending, his son died, I believe of an overdose, the next year.    Would you agree that maybe different people need different approach's?

This is from wikipedia: 

"Hughes served as Governor from 1963 to 1969. During this time, he continued to reach out, as a Christian and an alcoholic in recovery, to people still suffering. He established a treatment program in the state and was an effective spokesman for a more enlightened view of the role of alcohol in society. The new treatment program was viewed as an alternative to the state mental hospitals. Hughes wrote that the goal was to reach alcoholics "before they reach rock bottom."

*I read Hugh's autobiography.