--is mostly everyone on this site completely giving up alcohol?
Yes and/or other substances
--is there any method of moderation that seems to work for people?
I tried to moderate for years, there is no point in moderation for me. Total abstinence is awesome!
--is this escalation for me in the last few years 'normal' based on what you've seen here? Alcoholism is progressive.
For me, alcoholism is not being able to live without drinking.
--I believe that some of my drinking has to do with self medicating for anxiety, depression and general lonliness. But is this different than being an alcoholic?
That is why I drank. Fear ruled my life. Alcohol once helped me to relax, and somewhere along the way it turned on me, I crossed some invisible line and that alcohol that had helped me started to create more anxiety, depression and loneliness!
Stick around here and read on the forums, come to the chat room and talk with us there, too!
Glad you found SR!