The secret is. . . there is no secret

The discovery that Santa Claus is fiction is one of several developmental milestones on the path to adulthood.  Development continues through adulthood, and there are other discoveries to be made on the passage to independence.  One is the appreciation that there are no easy shortcuts or hidden secrets to freedom from addictive disorders.  

The irony of seeking treatment for a dependence on an external source of control has probably not escaped the astute reader.  The expectation of being freed from dependence by an external force is an illusion - kill it!  You can achieve independence only when you have the procedural skills to manage whatever situations arise.  Like the procedural skill of driving a vehicle, once acquired the change tends to be irreversible.

The next level of maturity is a major life transition - one which some never make.  This understanding is the beginning of the passage from dependence to independence.   No one else can do this for you!  The path ahead is for your steps alone.