Welcome Sven.
I knew for years my drinking was unhealthy, and kept right on at it while I pondered the question, “Am I an alcoholic?” I came to realize that the answer to that question didn’t matter. I was getting older and things were changing. I came to understand that when I drink, it is to get drunk. Every time. Without exception. I have no interest in moderation. “Just a couple” would do nothing but set me on edge and **** me off.
Does that make me an alcoholic? Probably. The spectrum Brian refers to makes lots of sense to me. I didn’t have to lose everything to accept that it was time for a change.
Just wanted to weigh in with my experience since you mentioned binge drinking. I’ll also say that you’ll find folks here, myself included, who quit without subscribing to any particular recovery program. However, that doesn’t mean that I didn’t have to do a deep dive into the reasons I drank in the first place. In my own experience, and reading the stories of others, there is often/always reasons behind it all that need fixing.
I’ll also say that, given how I drink, sobriety is a much easier path than trying to fit society ‘s definition of “healthy consumption “. I also couldn’t imagine what I would fill my life with if I didn’t have the “activity” of drinking. It took a period of adjustment, but life is so much richer on this side I can do nothing but highly recommend!
Best wishes,
-bora