I've known and know heavy drinkers who function and likewise alcoholics.
My husband has treated both. The individual must ultimately decide or by horrid circumstances, have that decision made for him or her. Only the individual truly knows.
A true, helpless and hopeless addict, will always return to his or her intoxicant of choice.
I’m grateful that I can drink as drinking was intended, but my husband cannot.
Two drinks and he would be off and running, so you see he fully understands alcoholism first hand and was a wonderful psychiatrist for his patients, with a remarkable success rate.
Some were so badly harmed by their own actions and failures, they were suicidal, but are now successful again. Others are just blessed and grateful to be sober and enjoying life with their families back intact.
Alcoholism is an insidious disease and that’s how he treated it. He took away the shame.
God bless you all who suffer from it and best wishes and prayers for continued recovery.