Hi Clearmind, I think its fairly normal and admirable to try and get to the root of it. But like you, I have no real trauma in my past that caused me to drink. The trauma in my life was self inflicted. Like many, I drank with friends for a long long time and never even considered alcohol being a problem. And it wasn't really. I didn't find myself thinking about it. Other things were more important etc...
I realized there might be an alcohol issue from about 2007 to 2012. Drank every night, same on weekends, started to feel some physical effects, wife sat me down and talked to me. Changed my drinking habits and life immediately started to improve. the last 3 years with the exception of a 2 month period last winter, have been 10 times better in terms of my own mental health, my marriage and my business. I'm trying to get past the last hurdle as I have a tendency about once per month to drink excessively on the weekend. and I hate myself for it. At the moment I do drink on the weekends, but usually not excessively. I am trying to stop, which is why I joined this site. Since I am sober all week, and really really like it and see positive things, carrying it through the weekends I would imagine would be even better. just my 2 cents