Not sure why I chose not to drink. There was no alcoholism in my immediate family, I just knew that it was something that wasn't for me. Hardest part was being a teenager with the peer pressure to drink, but I was always strong in my own convictions.
My ex was an alcoholic and even with my help she couldn't get to the point where she stopped drinking. Like many people with a drinking problem she would look at a list of signs that you might have a problem and pick out the ones that didn't apply to her as justification for her continued use.
I have no problems with anyone drinking so long as they know when to say when. Sadly, some never do.