When I was sobering up I was so proud of how well I was doing. I was at the doctor and I said I had only drank for 9 days that month, recovering from being a daily drinker. Then he pointed out that it still averaged out to 9 beers a day over the entire month.  It's exactly how they think, except I knew I was an alcoholic, wasn't in denial, knew it wasn't good, yet stupidly didn't give it up until my liver started fucking up.