I have averaged a bottle of wine a day (or the equivalent) for the last 20 years. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Not bragging or excusing, just fact. Family (Parents, siblings and adult children) all enjoy drinking (more than guidelines) too - all of us chilled when drinking and rarely 'drunk' although clearly wouldn't drive or use machinery.
My liver is fine and all other health markers are fine.
This year, now retired, I have cut back substantially and without any withdrawal or craving. I still drink above the recommended amount but less than half what I was drinking. For financial and calorie reasons rather than alcohol consumption.
Some people will become addicted to alcohol from their first drink. Some people get huge personality changes when drunk or massive hangovers. Others, thinking of some rock stars, drink and use huge numbers of drugs and live to a ripe old age. Many others (sometimes tragically) don't.
The medical guidelines are unavoidably arbitrary. No one is 'average', we are all individual and what will be harmful to one will be far less so to someone else.
I don't think it is the 'amount' that is the specific issue, it is how it makes you act and feel and what it does to your body as an individual.
I think some alcohol sites have a better approach.
Can you/they function as needed?
Does your/their drinking have negative consequences for others? (Violence, neglect etc)
Able to choose to stop
Able to choose not to engage in risky/dangerous behaviours.
There are a number of definitions of alcoholism. By some I definitely was/am. (I regularly drink more than the recommended amount and I drink more than number of units at one time)
By others I am not.
By my own definition I am/was psychologically addicted but have never been physically addicted.
I don't want to give up and I won't choose to. I live alone, it doesn't make me angry, sad or dangerous to myself or others. I am pleased I have reduced and I aim to stay at least as low as this but I'm unlikely to reduce to the 'guidelines' any time soon.