This is my experience. I have anxiety, especially social anxiety. From the age of 17 i used alcohol to get over that. There was only so long i could isolate and feel how i feel 'normally' without taking a drink, could be days, might be a couple of weeks, usually it was when i felt better. I wanted to be a confident life of the party person but i was not built that way, well without alcohol anyway! That's me going out. now let's discuss me not going out and sitting at home drinking, there is only so long that i was willing to sit with a person that i detested, could not stand being around and judged as complete failure so eventually i had to drink to blot that complete idiot out and to feel a bit better. So, for me, and most people it is not just as simple as calling it addiction! Find out why you drink, you will have to be very honest with yourself, write it down, you won't like doing it but it will help you get, and stay, sober
