Welcome to SR, SonnyMcB
I'm glad you found us. You ARE fortunate to get this out of your life at 23. Many of us go on, beating our heads with the club of alcohol, for many years before we reach a breaking point. I knew I had a problem with alcohol at 23, but I thought I could handle it on my own. Guess what? I had to come really close to ruining my whole life before I got smart enough to ask for help. I have no doubt that if I continued to drink, I'd ruin my life.
I did most of my drinking on weekends when I was 23. Alcoholism is progressive, and it doesn't get better once it gets worse. By the time I was 30, I was drinking all day everyday. I would have major panic/anxiety attacks if I didn't drink. They started pretty innocently...but got worse and worse. At the end of my drinking, I couldn't go more than 2 waking hours without a drink. I believe that my addiction to alcohol was leading me to my death. The progression of the disease in my twenties shows a undeniable downward spiral...right down the proverbial toilet.
Quitting drinking was the best thing I could have done.
I'm sure you will find lots of people here that want to give you support. I hope you find what ever you are looking for here. Seeing your doctor about this is a solid plan.
chip