I class an alcoholic as somone that drinks to constantly hide the pain they feel inside.

I could never understand why somone could become an alcholic until:

When i was severely depressed, project managing a 23million turnover company relocate and my mother was in hospital with a ruptured appendix
i started to drink heavily to drown out the feelings i was having and the stress, i would wake up in the middle of the night and down half a bottle of wine and get back into bed.

i only drink moderately now-- same with my drug use