I had a similar problem to yours however in many ways it was less severe:
- I would drink socially between 1 to 3 times a week (as I got concerned about my drinking behavior and health, I pared it down to once a week).
- I would not have a problem over-drinking each time I went out - which made recognition of the problem much more insidious. Regardless of the frequency, I'd end up over-drinking 20-25%.
- Even though the odds seemed favorable to many a drunk mind, I reckon it'd be a matter of time before I ended up doing something stupid, permanent and totally regrettable. At some point also, the same **** that your body lets you get away with when you're in your 20's, somehow starts catching up with you when you hit your 30's. It's called 'aging'.
I quit drinking at the start of February 2009. The first two weeks were mentally rough, but from the start, a huge relief. The physical health benefits like losing body fat, getting rid of a fatty liver and just simply looking and feeling better were evident after a month or so.
I know I used to think it'd be totally impossible to enjoy a successful social and business life without alcohol. Now I still sometimes wonder why I did not start earlier.