If you believe that you have some sort of issue with alcohol then your first course of action is to properly diagnose your problem. What is the exact scope of your problem with alcohol and how deep does it really go? Is your problem really with drinking too much or does your problem really get nasty when you actually stop drinking?
If you tend to drink large amounts but can basically go without booze for long periods of time when you want to, then you are likely just a problem drinker.If you don’t have the ability to walk away from alcohol for long time frames without going nuts about it then you are probably addicted.If you don’t know whether or not you just have an alcohol problem or a true alcohol addiction, then you can always do the following 2 challenges to find out:
1) Have one drink every day for the next six months; never to exceed the amount of one drink per day. {No days off or cheating allowed}.
2) Abstain from alcohol entirely for 6 months. No sneaking an extra drink in here or there allowed.
If you can get through both of those experiments without cheating at all then you are probably not addicted to alcohol. But if you realize that you resent these limitations and obsess over them then you are probably an alcoholic. If you are a problem drinker then you will fail on the first experiment and not be able to control your intake at some point. If you are an alcoholic then you will fail at the second experiment and not be able to abstain for six months without some sort of recovery program.
If you decide that you have a drinking problem of some sort then you should ask for help. If you happen to be suffering from alcoholism then you should find a rehab with a medical detox area to help you through it. This is recommended because alcohol withdrawal is extremely dangerous and can actually kill you.
On the other hand, if you have a drinking problem, then you might seek counseling or therapy in some way. This can help you identify if you want to take steps to reduce or stop your alcohol consumption.
You might also consider what the Mayo clinic has to say about it.
