Hi
I'm not sure you can compare the addiction of smoking to alcohol.
I was a smoker and I have been stopped for over five years now.
I think that, although there are serious health implications from smoking, it does not cause the 'bottoms' that drinking does.
You often don't get sacked for smoking at work.
You don't usually get in trouble for smoking while driving (at least in the UK)
You don't cause misery to your family, reputation, children and friends from smoking.
You don't blackout from smoking usually.
You don't end up in prison from smoking.
You don't end up in a mental health institution from smoking cigarettes.
I have over a year now, about 428 days.
For years I asked my self 'I am an alcoholic?' just like you are doing.
All the while I carried on drinking, being more unhappy, creating more trouble for myself and others.
We can get really hung up on labels - like binge drinker, alcohol abuser, alcoholic, problem drinker.
But in my mind, if alcohol makes you unhappy for whatever reason that should be reason enough to stop.
And you don't really need to wait for a professional diagnosis from your doctor, you will know deep down if drink is a problem and causing you to be unhappy.
I missed it at first, but it was not hard work, it was just different.
Now, I promise you it is second nature to not drink.
I am amazed at how drinking affects your cognition and your understanding of the world, how you concentrate on things and process information.
I did a three day medical conference in the UK as part of my job.
There is always a lot of drink involved.
The next day one of my colleagues could not concentrate on a task we had to do on our laptops.
He kept getting angry, shoving his laptop and was pouring with sweat.
All he could think about was getting home (driving!!) to have another beer to relieve his hangover.
I can honestly say I do not miss those days one tiny bit.
Why not try for 30 days to stop drinking? See how you go?
I would also really recommend reading about AVRT and addictive voice recognition.
I think we can all draw common ground on it. That voice in your head thats says 'its friday, I deserve a drink, everyone drinks on a friday'.
Or 'I can't be an alcoholic if I have managed to go 5 days without a drink'.
Does it sound familiar?
My best to you