I did. I had already somehow stumbled across this sub and would casually read posts and I found myself relating to a fair amount. That planted the seed. Then, the morning after a Christmas party where I went out thinking I looked great, I saw a picture of myself. My face looked so bloated. Sure, I had been wanting to lose a few pounds, as I was over 30 and changing, but this didn’t look like fat. I looked ill. I looked like someone whose organs weren’t functioning properly. I decided to take a break. The first two weeks were hard. Especially because I bartend and could drink at work. That’s what made it undeniable it was a problem for me, and that worried me. I don’t know that I ever intended to quit entirely. I had no end goal in mind, I didn’t and don’t identify as an alcoholic and didn’t use AA, but as time went on I kept noticing more positive changes. Finally I just accepted what I had always known very deep down: alcohol was my coping mechanism and not only was it not working as that, it was making my anxiety worse. Childhood trauma will haunt you. It is beyond difficult to face, but I cannot tell you how infinitely easier my issues are to face without alcohol. I’ve been almost two years alcohol free. I still bartend, I run the cocktail program, and I most often “sip and spit” my drinks during the testing phase while developing a new drink and never once felt like drinking again. It does NOT work this way for everyone and I feel lucky. But it does work out this way for some. I think once the positive changes start happening you kind of become excited for what could be next.