Mason's life used to be chaotic, a fog of alcohol enveloping him in a world of drunkenness. He used to be the one who loved to drink, always in and out of parties with a bunch of friends, glass after glass of spirits in his hand as if that was all that mattered in his life. He was used to the short-lived happiness that alcohol brought but gradually realized that he was unable to extricate himself from it as if he was tightly bound by the chains of alcohol. At that time Mason, every day immersed in the sea of alcohol, as if only alcohol could let him forget the troubles of life. However, a large amount of alcohol was like a double-edged sword, on the one hand, it brought him short-lived pleasure, but on the other hand, it made his body deteriorate. His face became pale, his skin sagged, and his eyes became cloudy. He even looked five years older than his peers, like an empty shell whose soul had been drained.

One day, Mason wakes up after a drunken stupor and looks at his strange, emaciated self in the mirror, and he has a rude awakening. He realized that his poor physical and mental state had gradually driven his loved ones away from him, and his former friends had also left because of his alcoholism. Even more distressing was the fact that the one career he had ever had was in ruins because of his alcoholism. At that moment, Mason made up his mind to stop drinking. He knew that it would be a road full of hardships and pain, but he was ready for it. He began seeking professional help for sobriety, joining sobriety groups, and trying to keep himself away from the temptation of alcohol.

The road to sobriety is not a good one, but it's not as thorny as it's made out to be. In the end, what you have to overcome is only your inner demons. The moment you decide to quit drinking, determination and firmness are more precious than any external encouragement. Taking that step, though difficult, is the starting point for a new life. Once you start trying to get back to normal life, the feeling of gradually finding yourself is great. It's like finally seeing a ray of light in a long darkness, and that hope and confidence will slowly take root in your heart. Giving up alcohol is not about deliberately controlling yourself not to drink, it's about making a conscious choice to do other more important things.

Mason says, "I remember walking into the grocery store one day and seeing the rows and rows of vodka on the shelves, and all of a sudden the thought came to me, why am I letting this alcohol control my life? Why am I wasting my time getting drunk when I have so many worthwhile things to do?" Mason said that among the alcohol addicts, he's come in contact with, he's found that the biggest problem these people have isn't alcoholism per se, but rather the different worries and psychological issues that each person harbours in their mind. Some are due to the pressure of life, some are due to emotional loss, and some are due to confusion about the future. Therefore, to completely stop drinking, you also need to face up to your inner feelings and solve those deep-rooted psychological problems.

In this battle with his demons, Mason finally finds the key to victory - and that is to embrace his true self and face his inner fears and obsessions. He stopped running away and stopped letting alcohol be his excuse for escaping reality. One day, Mason stood in a bustling square, surrounded by laughing crowds and colourful booths. He held a glass of freshly squeezed juice in his hand, a determined gleam in his eye. Suddenly, a familiar scent of wine drifted by, and he turned his head to find a stall selling wine not far away.

The bottles of wine on the stall glistened in the sunlight as if beckoning to him. Mason smiled slightly and shook his head gently. He turned and continued on his way, knowing in his heart that he no longer needed those illusory comforts. Since then, Mason has become a model of sobriety success, and his story has inspired many more to overcome their inner demons. He has found true happiness and fulfilment in the process, and his life has become more exciting and fulfilling as a result. At the end of the day, when someone asks Mason about his secret to quitting drinking, he always smiles and says, "When you decide to quit drinking and believe in yourself, you're already halfway there."

（Writer：Galli）