How much does it take? (This is somewhat of a poll.)

I am interested in how the barriers differ from person to person in terms of how they end up reaching the level of a diagnosis of alcoholism. How fast could it happen for the addictive personalities? What are the limits?

If you're reading this and have a problem with alcohol, how long did you drink and how much did you usually drink?

Could a person become an alcoholic after drinking for only a year or two? Maybe even as short as six months?

Would you say it is true that if you have a complete loss of memory from drinking, or have a black-out, it is a strong indication that you have a problem? Personally I am skeptical of this, as I once knew a guy who completely forgot the first time he ever got "drunk" (although he said he drank Everclear).