Cirrhosis has been my ultimate fear lately, as I have a history of liver problems. I had a couple of doctors and a nurse tell me just yesterday and this morning that there are "no indications" of liver issues, but that my liver enzyme levels were quite high.
Basically cirrhosis is the threshold you cross before your liver can 100% recover. Depending on the severity of the disease (the damage can vary, and worsens if drinking continues), you can continue to live. Abstaining from alcohol, not using Tylenol, avoiding too much sodium, and staying on a nutritious diet are all important.
I met someone recently who has cirrhosis and you wouldn't necessarily guess just by seeing him or talking to him. He was quite young. I suppose he was in denial and decided to drink again a few times, and ended up with more detox visits. He's in AA now. I once saw a YouTube video, however, that illustrated just how bad liver damage can get. Vomiting anything you try to eat or drink (even water sometimes), can't get out of bed, can't take care of yourself, weakness, lethargy, and finally death.
We all metabolize alcohol (and everything else) differently. Some people can drink constantly for even decades and find themselves with a fatty liver that can recover. For others, like myself, it can take merely a few years before things can get much worse.