"When you stop drinking, you have to deal with this marvelous personality that started you drinking in the first place"

This quote by Jimmy Breslin talks to the trouble of getting rid of addiction. When someone stops drinking, they are forced to challenge the underlying concerns that caused them to drink in the first place. This can be a tough and uneasy process, as it needs the specific to take a difficult look at themselves and their habits. It is insufficient to merely stop drinking; one should also deal with the underlying concerns that led to the drinking in the first place. This quote is a suggestion that addiction is not merely a physical issue, but a mental one too. It is only by dealing with the underlying issues that one can genuinely conquer dependency and move forward in life.