I'm not an alcoholic, and never have been. But I am a Manic Depressive, and there are some similarities.

Basically, as everyone else is saying, GET HELP!!

It would be sad if you pushed your best friend too far and ended up losing her... I did... Too late now...

You can't beat it on your own - in my case, I can't beat it so I have to live with it.

Good, 'safe' friends are all important. Non-judgmental people who accept you as you are, and help if they can.

The people who couldn't help me were those who 'took the hump' if I (apparently) ignored their 'advice'.

The words I really hate are:
'You've got to help yourself' - well, you can't, can you?!.
'Do it for yourself, not anyone else' - don't particularly want to, thanks very much...

Hope someone gets to you before it's too late, chum.