I don't expect you to take my word, but fwiw, I obviously know nothing about you personally and did not mean it that way. It's just that what you said reminded me vividly of past me. Could have just been a coincidence, but either way, maybe our exchange will help somebody else in a tight spot.
> Was internet pedantry ultimately what helped you decide to quit?
No, at the time, the internet pedantry and the drinking actually helped fuel each other. Sober me now has more healthy limits regarding the internet, and I unplug when it becomes unhealthy instead of using it as an excuse to drink.
What ultimately helped me quit drinking was several things combined over a long enough time, including:
* in-person groups like AA (replacing the higher power stuff with an agnostic modification I found meaningful at the time) and S.M.A.R.T.
* online communities like /r/stopdrinking and /r/cripplingalcoholism
* regular therapy to target root causes like personal mental deficits (and how to re-wire my brain away from them) and other life struggles that were keeping me trapped in the cycle and fueling the addiction and symptoms of depression
But that's presumably why the parent commenter spoke up in the first place.
Industry-fueled self-delusion can be intercepted if we make the effort to do so.