Why do I need wine every night now when I used to be able to control my drinking?

Ronna faced this exact question during the pandemic when her occasional wine with dinner transformed into a nightly necessity for coping with grief and stress. As a musician and pastor's wife, she grew up in a family where alcohol was normalized, but a series of devastating losses—including her sister-in-law's suicide and her mother's death just ten days apart—pushed her daily drinking from social habit to survival tool. After discovering This Naked Mind and learning the science behind alcohol addiction, Ronna realized she wasn't weak or destined to repeat family patterns—she was simply human, responding to an addictive substance during unimaginable pain. In this episode, Ronna joins Coach Cole to share her 448-day journey from shame and hiding to freedom and self-compassion.

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and family loss.

Coach Cole and Ronna discuss:

Growing up in a family where alcohol was normalized and expected

Starting drinking as a teenager and touring musician lifestyle

The slow progression from wine with dinner to daily necessity

How pandemic stress amplified existing drinking patterns

Dealing with devastating family losses including suicide and death

Using alcohol as a tool to cope with grief and stop overthinking

The shame of hiding drinking while in a visible church position

Discovering This Naked Mind and learning addiction science

Realizing "why do I need wine every night now" had scientific answers

Finding freedom in "I drink as much as I want, I just don't want to"

Choosing self-compassion over shame about past drinking

And other topics…

Related Episodes:

EP 160: Reader Question – Is Addiction Genetic? - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-160-is-addiction-genetic/

EP 203: Naked Life Story – Brittany - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-203-naked-story-brittany/

EP 671: Naked Life Story – Michelle S. - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-671-naked-life-story-michelle-s/

Ready to take the next step on your journey? 

Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

BetterHelp: Get 10% off your first month at ⁠⁠http://BetterHelp.com/NAKEDMIND|BetterHelp.com/NAKEDMIND⁠⁠

Quince: For your next trip, treat yourself to the luxe upgrades you deserve from Quince. Go to ⁠⁠http://Quince.com/naked|Quince.com/naked⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns

Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at ⁠⁠http://Hungryroot.com/mind|Hungryroot.com/mind⁠⁠ with code mind

Shopify: Start your $1/month trial at ⁠⁠http://Shopify.com/mind|Shopify.com/mind⁠