I first started having warning signs alcohol was a problem for me at 21-22. I paid attention to them (like it sounds like the OP has) but it didn't bother me enough to stop (possibly also similar to the OP). I am 35 now and my best advice is quit while you are young. Believe me when I say it can get much worse. I loved to drink, still do! But not as much as I love being alive and not behind bars or in a hospital bed.