Benzos work to make GABA receptors more functional. These are the locks. Glutamate is the key that activates it. Taking benzos make the lock more unlockable. Drinking alcohol affects glutamate activitity. As a CNS depressant it inhibits these GABA receptors therefore your body compensated by creating more GABA receptors. This is why someone who’s drank too much for too long has severe withdrawals. The increase in GABA receptors is fine when they’re all inhibited, but when you stop drinking then the glutamate levels shoot up and it causes people to have seizures when they stop drinking. So they literally need to keep drinking to stay alive.

That’s also a distinction i like to make in the dependence/addiction vernacular but thats a side point you’re not asking about :)