Don’t doubt yourself. My sister is an alcoholic and has said this before about her husband controlling her. Like you say, it’s when you say you are leaving if the drinking doesn’t stop. That’s what they mean as control. It isn’t of course.
My sister was abusive and violent to her husband and myself over many years. There was always an excuse to drink. Even though to a normal person there is no excuse to drink, you don’t have to justify it like an alcoholic does.
Well to cut a long story short, my brother in law had had enough abuse and violence and he made her leave the family home. She lost everything just because she wanted to drink. After losing everything I forced her to go to AA. She went and realised she was an alcoholic. She goes to meetings every week, has had a couple of relapses but on the whole she feels much better now. She has her life back, but AA has been the answer for her. Other organisations tried to help but were useless and that is coming from me.
I wish you both the very best.