E138: 5 Ways Problem Drinkers Think Differently

One of the most empowering things I’ve learned in my research is that not everyone experiences alcohol in the same way. When I got sober, I started talking to my husband more about his experience and I started interacting with people in the sober community who shared my experience with alcohol. Over time, I realized how different my husband and I were. In this episode I want to talk about 5 ways we think differently than take it or leave it drinkers. I’m going to use the word normal occasionally in this episode and as a reminder I don’t think we’re abnormal or bad. I think it’s helpful to understand and appreciate how the take it or leave it drinker actually approaches alcohol because it allows us to see how different our experience is. What to listen to next: E79: why do we romanticize alcohol? E99: why we can never drink again E91: do you want to be sober or do you want to drink without the consequences? E127: why you obsess about your drinking Resources I offer: Community: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership 30 Day Quit Drinking Course with daily audios to help you work on your mindset about letting drinking go https://quitdrinkingcourse.supercast.com/ Monthly office hours: ask me anything you’d like live. My audio will be recorded for anyone who can’t join live. I will not be recording the meeting participants. https://officehours.supercast.com/ Weekly emails on Thursdays where I explain the latest episode in more detail, share images to help you understand the concepts, share announcements, interviews, writing, discount codes and more. https://view.flodesk.com/pages/6107260617e156c4839768b5 A free 3 day quit drinking challenge https://view.flodesk.com/pages/62f2cb3de5ea6b3d8aea4ab2 You are not alone eBook with data from almost 700 sober people https://www.soberpowered.com/you-are-not-alone-ebook   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 my work 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

Om Podcasten

Why do some people stay sober and others relapse back and forth? Getting sober isn’t about restriction, it’s about rewiring your brain to function without intensity, chaos, dopamine spikes, and avoidance. Hosted by Gill Tietz, a former biochemist turned sober coach, this show dives into the neuroscience of long-term sobriety — why some people relapse, why others stay free, and how to build the kind of brain that can handle life without alcohol. Each episode blends science, psychology, and real experience to help you strengthen the four pillars of neuro-resilience: 1. Neural Recovery – healing your brain’s reward and stress systems after alcohol. 2. Emotional Regulation – calming reactivity and learning to feel without numbing. 3. Cognitive Rewiring – changing the thought patterns that quietly pull you backward. 4. Behavioral Integration – designing routines and habits that make being sober your default. Whether you’re newly sober or years in, you’ll learn the research-backed tools and mind shifts that keep you steady, so sobriety stops feeling like something you’re trying to want and starts feeling like who you are. This is hard work. If you want my support, then check out my online sober community or my 1:1 work. Website: www.soberpowered.com