What they see in the bottle is an escape. It is a tiny doorway to forget, for a moment, what they want to forget. They want to escape into the bottle as a means of coping.

Having a big extended family, some of who were alcoholics, and seeing the results of this escape mechanism at an early age, I learned also never to touch the stuff. When the numbing wears off and they remember what they tried to forget, they return to the bottle again. All too often they fall completely inside the bottle and can't find their way out again without assistance.

Astronauts battle fear. Since the shuttle explosion there is an increased sense of mortality of the risks and very real chance of a one way trip. I suspect a number of astronauts use alcohol to drive away the fear.

People can conceal fear from tests and doctors & psychiatrists, but for some the fear overcomes them and they treat it with alcohol.

Escape mechanisms come in all shapes and sizes. Some smoke, some drink and some race cars up and down the highway. Some curse, abuse those they can, or cry in the wee hours of the morning. Others read books, watch movies or post messages on a bulletin board.

We all have our escapes. It would be nice if more folks found constructive outlets for their pent-up emotional pressures, but sadly most pursue destructive escape mechanisms.

Sometimes I suspect a more military-tilted NASA would be more efficient, disciplined and keep better morale...

...something like a Heinleinian Space Corps.

;-)