Hi and welcome to SR
Originally Posted by
dprovan 
I also know that I may not have had obvious physical withdrawal
I think you did have withdrawal. People tend to think that withdrawal symptoms only happen in the later stages of alcoholism, when the body and brain as so fully addicted that people have tremors, seizures, DTs etc and need medication to detox but there is a stage before then.
The fact that you needed to drink every day and could not limit it shows that were were already physcially addicted. At this stage withdrawal symptoms are more subtle - one of them being anxiety. I had really bad anxiety every time I came off the booze. It would start a few hours after my last drink as my blood alcohol level started to drop. I was jittery, heart racing. It was horrible. I don't get it now.
I work the 12 steps of AA. It's a great programme of recovery.