I think I know why writers are often portrayed with a drink in hand. It's not the writing that causes them to unravel, it's the publishing process!
I have completed a solid first draft of my book and am in the process of trying to hire a freelance editor to help this book reach its potential. The publishing process, not the act of writing, is causing me to lean heavily on my meditation practice. I am no stranger to fear and doubt, but I seem to find myself in their company with unnerving regularity.
In an ironic twist, a few yeas ago I wrote, "Passing the Tests," which speaks to my habitualized perceptions. Maybe a wise place within wrote the poem knowing I would need to rely on it when I set out to chase my dream. I return to this poem again and again when I am in need of a friend to help me respond, rather than react, to that pesky clique (doubt, fear, jealousy, anger...).
