I wanted to say something earlier. But, everything I came up with, was goofy - or sounded silly.
So, I'm just going to say this: "what you're doing is tough (impossible for some, as we just lost a friend, last night, to whiskey) and I respect you for fighting the good fight, and hanging in there, for as long as you have - no small feat."
Obviously, the friend was lost to ethanol (mental illness - ethanol is just the symptom), and ethanol was his drug of choice. Your choice: "no alcohol!" You live, he didn't, unfortunately.
I wish you continued success!