My father was an alcoholic, who was mainly on the wagon for the last twenty odd years of his life. When my mother died, in 2000, he deliberately reactivated his alcoholism and died two years later - effectively suicide. I think the tendency to drink too much has many causes, but I do know that to be able to persist with drinking long after one enjoys it, is something else. When I have had too much of anything, I simply have to stop it and leave it alone for a while. I am lucky to have this in built braking mechanism. It has nothing to do with will power. My father was a far better man than I in every respect and he was a great deal stronger. It is good luck and nothing else which prevents me from going down the same path.