George, I could have written you post ten years ago - I too was very much into the "party" lifestyle (booze, drugs, women, bars, clubs). I used to rationalize it as "this is just what people in their 20s do." However, deep down I knew that I was slipping into the downward spiral of alcoholism. I'm now 35 and wish that I had done something about it sooner - I posted a list of my reasons to quit here, which tells my story. There is no doubt in my mind that alcoholism is indeed progressive - even when things temporally get better, in the long-term, they inevitably get worse. I didn't believe this in my 20s - thought it was "just a phase" - but I am a believer now.