The first four dragon warriors/quests were surprisingly ambitious.
DW is one of the first console RPGs.
DW2 is in many ways the template for a generation of RPGs, with progressively gathering party members and opening up the map via gaining new travel modes.
DW3 is still amazing. The party creation and job system is done better than most other attempts at it. And returning the old world was so cool.
DW4 had a true multi-perspective narrative with a detailed story. Unlike anything else that had come out before.
Later DW/DQs stopped innovating as much and stagnated, much as the entire JRPG genre feels stagnant.
It is common to develop a drug or alcohol addiction as part of a coping mechanism. That can absolutely make your life more difficult. Coping mechanisms can make it more difficult to make changes that will better your life.
The path of least resistance isn't always the easiest path.