Feb 28 2025 31 mins
Regular drinking and early sobriety often feel like living on autopilot, where we are repeating the same routines without conscious awareness. Alcohol changes the brain to increase mindless activity, which can lead to rumination, excessive self-focus, anxiety, and addiction-related thought loops. In this episode, you’ll learn about how alcohol affects the brain and puts us on autopilot, how this keeps us stuck, and when this recovers in sobriety. Many people mistake life stress as the main source of overwhelm, but a lot of it actually comes from how alcohol disrupts brain function.
What to listen to next:
E220: The Hippocampus and Alcohol: Blackouts, Memory Deficits, and Learned Associations
E191: Going Back and Forth Makes Your Cravings Stronger
E238: Why Moderation Doesn't Work
Sober Support:
- Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership
- Weekly emails on Fridays https://www.soberpowered.com/email
Work with me:
- Sober coaching https://www.soberpowered.com/sober-coaching
Courses:
- The non-negotiable mindset https://www.soberpowered.com/mindset-course
- Sober milestones: what to expect when you quit drinking https://sobermilestones.supercast.com/
- Anger Management https://www.soberpowered.com/anger
Thank you for supporting this show by supporting my sponsors. Learn more:
https://www.soberpowered.com/sponsors
If you enjoyed this episode please consider buying me a coffee to support all the research and effort that goes into this podcast. This is a one woman show! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/soberpowered
Sources are posted on my website
Disclaimer: all of the information described in this podcast is my interpretation of the research combined with my opinion. This is not medical advice.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices