I started drinking a lot when I was 25 and really wanted to quit by 26 because my hangovers were terrible. I couldn't let go of the fake confidence drinking gave me so I carried on drinking heavily until last year and quit just before I turned 39. I was really worried about my drinking from my early 30s and despite numerous sick days, having no money and feeling like death I remained in denial. There was no big event that made me quit, I just couldn't deal with living half a life anymore.