From direct personal experience totaling well over a decade, 10 drinks is not hard to get to, especially for a larger person. 2-3 to get things going, and 1 an hour after that, for up to 7 hours. On weekends, I split it up; 3-4 in the morning & before lunch, then eat/sleep, then 6-7 through the afternoon & evening. Beer usually seems to be easier on the system than anything else, but that may vary by physiology.

Once the habit is ingrained and you become reliant on it to control your moods, 'cutting back' is a whole different proposition. My triglycerides are terrible, but other than that I seem to be ok, so why not just keep going? It's the easiest path, inexpensive, and most importantly, a LOT less hassle than dealing with the minefield of incompetence you encounter when seeking mental health treatment.

I haven't given up completely on 'doing better'. But on the other hand, maybe that's not for everybody. We only have so much time here, how do we want to spend it? Stumbling over ourselves in an impossible quest for imaginary perfection, until we die anyway? Or enjoying ourselves the best we can given the dire circumstances?