i did 8 months awhile back. it was hard at first, but it got easier. i'd gotten locked in a cycle of coming home from work and drinking until i basically passed out. started having physical and psychological problems. i confess that i've fallen off the wagon a bit, but i'm nowhere near as bad as i was.
stopping for a bit helped me reset my systems. i've also taken some mini breaks since. (a month or two off just to prove to myself that i can)