alcohol & depression

You know how sometimes you know something, but you haven't accepted it? That's how I've been with alcohol for the last couple years. I've known that it was uniquely bad for me, but I've continued to drink, sometimes beyond a healthy limit. Recently I drank 4 1/2 beers over a few hour period. The next day I felt awful, not really physically, mostly emotionally. I was depressed and anxious. I did a tiny bit of research and came across some interesting information. The first bit is that people like me (family history of alcoholism & depression as well as my own issues) should not drink, ever. This was not entirely surprising, but like I said I'd been ignoring this.
The second bit of info was far scarier. It was about suicide statistics. Basically if you are older and you suffer from depression & are an alcoholic you are at a much greater risk of committing suicide. What are you suppossed to do with this information when you love people who fit this description and you know they won't seek help?
As for myself I'm cutting down on drinking. Ideally I would like a drink to be a special occasion thing only. I'm sick of being around people who have to have a drink especially in a date situtation. If you can't have fun together sober than perhaps something is wrong.