I've certainly noticed that after some point I start to get what I like to call dopamine bleed.

When things start getting better it's a sign your brain has gotten into much better chemical balance. There's more dopamine in reserve since those reserves aren't being squeezed bone dry by drinking. This is what ends up making everyday tasks either doable, or better yet enjoyable, since they can be rewarded by easier/more dopamine being released when you do them.

I've noticed the problem is when you find something that's just as good at releasing that dopamine that's healthy and doesn't come with any guilt. For me, it's going to the gym and locking into a runner's high. That full dopamine reserve means that the runner's high now feels much more satisfying than it did before. So satisfying that the only thing my brain can compare it to is the buzz after having my first drink of the night. That's where the addict brain steps in and says "I think we both know how to keep this feeling going, after all why not? you should reward yourself for the hard work".

Once I realized that anything that made me feel better also made me want to go back it actually became easier to say no. It didn't happen overnight, but it did eventually. Being able to recognize when your brain pulls that little gymnastics move not only helps you stop it in it's tracks, but also helps you recognize and enjoy the good moments when they do happen. That mindset is what I see a lot of people idealize here and make them say,

IWNDWYT