Not fitting in, self worth, not feeling "normal". I started smoking pot in 6th grade, I instantly felt like I wan normal for once. I found other friends that used and I became "Friends" with them. This continued until I was 25. from pot to coke to heroin to alcohol. I almost died, burned everything to the ground and shot a gun in the house because I was so upset I couldn't stop. I was sent to rehab by my father and they taught AA. I found god, the program of AA and real friendship, My life was changed, total 180. I'm still selfish, I can still do some shitty things but I'm no longer the guy I use to be. You prevent relapse by working the steps of alcoholics anonymous, the only thing Ive seen work in people like me.
There is so much to understanding drug and alcohol abuse, but it all boils down to us wanting to change the way we feel.
Here is how I see it, We all form opinions about all things, even people. based off your experiences, take food for example; you hates lima beans when you were a kid, then you hated them while you were a teenager, then someone told you "hey, you might like lima beans as an adult because your taste changes" you then think back on the 2 times you tried them and they left a bad taste in your mouth but you decide to give it a go one more time.... you spit them out because they tasted bad as an adult as well. People form their own ideas based off experience, the left calls that racism. Its unavoidable, its how our brain works, its how it worked before we knew a language.
All good, he prolly got some bird shot in it.