I was a full blown alcoholic at 15 and sobered up one month short of my 18th birthday. What woke me up was that I could not stop on my own. I could promise myself I wouldn't drink only to find myself drunk hours or even minutes later.
i found recovery through the Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. That along with Narcotics Anonymous were all there was back in 1977 when I cleaned up. the only thing not drinking has kept me from doing these past 40 years is not drink.