I'm an alcoholic, been sober 13 years. I come from a long line of alcoholics, many of them dying of the disease or it's side affects My brother Jon, also a recovering alcoholic, told me once "My mind will be blank for a long time after I'm dead, I'll keep it clear 'till then" or words to that effect. Emotional maturity cannot be achieved while a person is dependent on alcohol. The last 13 years have been a revelation to me; I keep learning new things about myself, some good, some bad. The first few years were really exciting. I could actually THINK about things & relationships and all the other things we need to do in this world. AA is an excellent way to achieve sobriety, but they were much too religious for me (even though they say they aren't). I don't agree with all of their "steps" but it's a starting point. Any way that you can get sober, DO IT!