the term 'alcoholic' is not particularly useful, bizi, I agree. It doesn't mean much that anyone agrees on, the term addict is somewhat more specific but still has problems. The real thing, seems to me, is whether our drinking harms us, harms others, keeps us from personal growth and from achieving life goals. Does it make you feel the way you want to feel. Does it keep you from having trouble with other people. And so on. These, to me, are the real questions about alcohol and most other substances.

And re your comments on AA, I benefited a lot when I attended AA. You don't have to believe anything you don't want to, all you have to do is say "I have a desire to stop drinking." You don't even have to say or believe that you are an alcoholic. And, like anywhere else, there are a lot of nutjobs at AA, also. It's a mixed bag, but generally, I met great people who were fun to be with and they shared the same goals I did in sobriety.