Welcome to the family, wallup. Everything you said has happened to me, too. Continuing the way you were would have been disaster. You've heard it called a progressive disease. So far you've been able to stop when you were getting together with your family - eventually you wouldn't have. I never dreamed my few drinks on weekends would turn into 24/7 maintenance drinking so I wouldn't shake/throw-up/have a stroke or seizure. I drank mainly to calm my social anxiety, but it turned into a living hell of dependence. In the end I took it to work, could not be without it for even an hour.
There's some controversy regarding whether or not we inherit alcoholism. There's supposedly an alcoholism gene. I'm the only family member that I know of who has the problem, though. Regardless, you are doing the best possible thing by coming here. SR is all I use for support, too - but I may attend AA meetings in the future.
Congratulations on your choice to live a free life.