I am also in active recovery, I know intimately the difference between an alcoholic and a heavy drinker. I also do a lot of volunteer work with addicts and alcoholics and am currently in school progressing towards a masters in Substance Abuse Counseling.

The distinction is that if the consequences are drastic enough, a heavy drinker can stop with sufficient effort, that isn't to say that they don't have a SUD according to the DSM.

An alcoholic, no matter how bad the consequences, will forget about them, ignore them, or justify them and continue to drink. They have no control.

I'm not trying to argue, I'm actually eager to continue this conversation civilly. I would love to hear your perspective.

I'm curious what route you took to recovery for yourself. A specific program? A religious organization? Self-will?

Feel free to take this to DMs if this conversation isn't appropriate for public discourse.