I think many of us drink because of tension. I believe that drinking is a symptom, and we need to deal with the underlying problems in order to get sober. I self-medicated with alcohol and it was hard to begin to work on my problems, but I am so glad I did.
If you are unsure whether or not you are an alcoholic, stop drinking for a fixed period, say a month, and see what happens. You will likely get your answer.