Well, there's been a lot of evidence suggesting that if you have any history in your family of alcoholism, then you are much more at risk. My family does, so I have to be careful. There was a time after my 19th birthday where I was getting drunk every weekend for I think 4 or 5 weeks straight. Since then, I've stopped drinking so much, but I can easily see how I could become addicted. I have to watch myself and make sure I don't do stuff like bring home a 24 pack of beer and start drinking it in the basement by myself (not that I can really afford to do that, but if I started, I'd find some way to get the money).
I drink because A) it's fun to get sloshed with friends, B) I like the feeling of being drunk, and C) I like drinking (as in drinking alcoholic beverages). However, just because I like drinking alcohol doesn't mean that I'm going to let that make me drink all the time. sure, if I had problems that were depressing me, I'd have the urge to drink it away too. But realizing that that is your problem is the first step towards not doing it. Whenever I'm feeling a little bit sad, I automatically think "I wish I had some booze". But I don't act on it. Because if I did, it would end badly.
Oh, and there's also been a lot of study linking your culture and the ideas about alcohol that you were raised with, with how you act when drunk. If you are raised with the belief that alcohol relaxes you, and stuff (like in south africa) then you will likely feel relaxed, and generally just be calm. However, if you grow up with the idea that alcohol is an excuse to go wild, you will be fairly rowdy and loud when drunk. Because I smoked weed before getting drunk, and because I was raised in an alcohol-free house, I grew up not really knowing what to expect. I think some of my idea of weed has carried over to make me generally fairly calm when drunk. I more ready to sing along with music I know, and small things like that (I'll talk more freely about some things) but no matter how drunk I get, I still manage to stay coherent and such. (even when I'm drunk enough to forget the night).
Anyway, as we've said, drinking to get rid of the pain is a VERY bad thing. It will lead you to alcoholism really quickly. Drink with your friends, drink to have a good time, not to ignore the bad times.