It happens that whenever I “quit”a particular substance, I just replace it with another. Off opiates, switched to smoking cigarettes. Quit cigarettes and opiates, switched to beer and vaping. What is up with me having a problem being completely sober? I guess the best way I can describe it is that I feel uncomfortable in my own skin. Why? Will this behaviour go away?
Sure, one can have a problem with being completly sober. And yes, there is also a chance that it will not go away, unless one addresses the underlying issue, either by resolving it or changing the view on it etc.
I have seen this (substance/addiction substitution) with myself respectively done this too. Well, it's still happening.
I know now that my stress levels were rather high since childhood (trauma, abuse, ..), but that's the deceptive thing about youth. The body/mind can navigate almost anything, at least i looks that way from the outside, ..therefore nobody gives a shit. I payed the price later on with chronic illness and after a complete breakdown (involving other life events) i turned to substances to survive, literally. That was my introduction to more 'classic' addiction issues, but looking back, i was heavily compensating before too, only with more healthy coping mechanisms and i was not really aware that there were serious unconscious problems. Now i know more or less what's up, but that alone doesn't change much. I have done a lot to change things, but without much success. So i'm still trying to figure out how to deal with all this, outcome uncertain..
If you don't want to continue to be a slave of this pattern, i guess you will have to find out, understand and address the issues. There are certainly helpful options out there for some problems, but not for others (it seems).
All the best..