I used to be an alcohol user
I've started rewiring my mind to think more closely about what alcohol is. In the past, I would have said that I was a drinker, but I now rephrase that to say that I was using alcohol - the way that we would talk about using any other addictive drug.
The main difference between alcohol and other drugs is so many people use it, and most people don't even consider it in the same breath as "other" drugs. They think it's different.
Drinking is so natural to being a human. I still am a drinker, only I drink water and orange juice now.