I wouldn't say it's possible to "smoke yourself sober". I would say it's 100% possible (and happens a LOT) for your brain to go into a self-protection mode.

Studies have been performed regarding brain chemicals that show that if you give the brain more and more cannabinoids, it will actively seek out and turn OFF the receptors. Meaning, if you smoke a 1/4 oz to yourself in one day, your brain will realize that something is off balance. It will try to fix itself, and turn off the sites of the brain that "feel" high. Then you stop feeling high. At this point the only solution is to take a break. Depending on how much you smoke (and other things like body metabolism, diet, hydration, etc), the length of the break may be different for different people. Have you ever wondered why it's so hard to get that ridiculous high you used to get when you were a newbie stoner? It's because your brain is such a powerful machine that it actively protects itself from going crazy. That's why cannabis is so completely harmless compared to other drugs. Cocaine, heroin, etc... THOSE are destructive permanently, but cannabis only activates a temporary on-off switch inside the brain.

I limit myself to 1-2g per day, and NEVER go to bed high. I smoke every day, and never have to take a break to "get the high back". Keep it in moderation, and LISTEN to your body/brain. If you feel burned out, the solution is not to roll another one. The solution is to drink some fluids, get some vitamins, and help your body regain normality. Perform good eating habits daily and you'll never have to "go on a diet". Same goes for weed. It's stupid to burn through $50 of bud in a day, then spend the next two weeks detoxing so you'll feel high again. Put the pipe down when you're high, and your brain won't fight the herb. It'll work with it and you'll actually start to regain some of the primo newbie high after a little while. Trust me.

Alcohol is of course a completely different story, as it's technically a poison to the body.