I stopped drinking in January 2014 as part of a Dry January challenge with some friends. This was after a decade or so of heavy alcoholism. I had one relapse tw

I stopped drinking in January 2014 as part of a Dry January challenge with some friends. This was after a decade or so of heavy alcoholism. I had one relapse two months later, and since then, I've kept it going. No alcohol since March 2014. Of course, there's more to the story, like all the reasons I was an alcoholic in the first place. The other people who were doing the challenge just went back to drinking normally. But at that moment, I just happened to be at the right place in my life where abstaining for a while helped with quitting: I was in a stable relationship with a supportive partner, I began to take my career a little more seriously, and I had just gotten back into competitive Dance Dance Revolution. Playing hardcore DDR several hours a day, I could clearly see the effects of a previous night of drinking in my physical and mental performance -- as pure numbers, in the form of scores. It's worth trying: you might be at a stopping point too. Without that Dry January, I may have slowed down, but would I have really, actually quit? In short, my perspective on alcohol is as follows: - Mental and physical health are hard enough to maintain without constantly poisoning myself with a depressant. If you're having a hard time getting things done, and you aren't exercising enough, alcohol probably isn't helping. - I needed to learn to socialize, express my emotions, and release inhibitions without alcohol. So I did, and now I can do that. - Without alcohol, for better or worse (almost entirely for the better), life becomes drastically more predictable. Yes, you'll probably make fewer crazy memories. But: you'll be a better friend and partner, every flight of stairs gets way less dangerous, and you'll pretty much never vomit again. Coming out of alcoholism on the other side really feels like a superpower. No hangovers, better sleep, and I don't get sick. At social events, the drunker everyone else gets, the funnier and smarter I am. I completely understand why people drink, and I don't hold it against anyone. I just don't need to do it anymore. Dry January is a good idea.