When will being sober feel rewarding? When does it get easier? When does the boredom go away? In this episode you’ll learn about the process of recalibrating your reward system after quitting drinking. I’ll explain how alcohol messes up the reward system, the process of recalibration that occurs during the first year, what happens if you relapse, and what you can do to make the process go a little bit smoother.

What to listen to next:

E220: The Hippocampus and Alcohol: Blackouts, Memory Deficits, and Learned Associations

E224: Alcohol Makes Your Brain Stop Working

E211: The Anticipation of a Drink

E247: Sober Sleep is the Best Sleep, But Not Right Away

Sober Support:

 Work with me:

• Sober coaching https://www.soberpowered.com/sober-coaching

Courses:

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

Are you cranky AF after getting sober? Is your mood volatile and unpredictable? Are the little things setting you off? This is a normal part of the sober experience, so congrats on getting started. In this episode, I’ll explain why we have mood swings after quitting drinking. You’ll learn what’s going on in the brain, when it should start to ease up, and things to look out for as you continue working on your sobriety.

What to listen to next:

E232: The 3am Wake Up of Shame: Alcohol and Anxiety

E231: Everything You Need to Know About Alcohol Withdrawal

E247: Sober Sleep is the Best Sleep, But Not Right Away

E249: Alcohol and Cortisol: Extra Stress and Extra Cravings

E240: Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) After Quitting Drinking: 8 Tips to Cope

Sober Support:

 Work with me:

Courses:

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

Did you go from never wanting dessert to now never skipping it? Are you craving sugar constantly now that you’ve quit drinking? Sugar cravings in sobriety are very normal and in this episode I’ll explain a few reasons why we crave sugar after getting sober and how you can start managing your sugar cravings moving forward.

What to listen to next:

E188: Wellness Over Weight Loss

E249: Alcohol and Cortisol: Extra Stress and Extra Cravings

E165: My 30 Day No Sugar Challenge

Sober Support:

 Work with me:

Courses:

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

The Surgeon General just recommended that cancer warning labels be included on alcohol bottles. However, the link between cancer and alcohol is old news. A recent study from the National Cancer Institute found that only 50% of Americans are aware that alcohol causes cancer, so in this episode you'll learn how alcohol causes cancer, alcohol and cancer statistics, and what this new information means for you.

What to listen to next:

E0: How Alcohol Affects the Body (pinned as a trailer)

Sober Support:

 Work with me:

Courses:

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

Are you trying to quit drinking for Dry January? A sober month is a good opportunity to learn more about your drinking and get experience handling your life without alcohol. I know it’s scary in the beginning and you may not know what to do. In this episode I’ll share some research about Dry January and how to be successful this month, then we’ll cover 31 different tips to quit drinking.

Go to https://www.soberpowered.com/tips to get all the tips so you can reference back to them

What to listen to next:

E190: Non-Alcoholic Drinks: The Pros and Cons

E211: The Anticipation of the Drink

E197: Making the DECISION to Quit Drinking

E223: 6 Common Triggers for Drinking and How to Avoid Them

E231: Everything You Need to Know About Alcohol Withdrawal

E238: Why Moderation Doesn’t Work

Sober Support:

 Work with me:

Courses:

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

2025 can be your year. Most of us set goals to quit drinking or lose weight, and then we don’t achieve it. In this episode, I’m going to explain 3 things that make us less likely to meet our goals. Most people think lack of willpower or self-discipline is the reason why we don’t succeed, and I’ll explain why that’s not the case. You’ll also learn 4 ways to set goals to increase your likelihood of success and the goal that I’m working towards in 2025.

What to listen to next:

E238: Why Moderation Doesn’t Work

E227: You Need a Goal (200 lb Deadlift Achieved!)

Sober Support:

 Work with me:

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

If you love the holidays, then I’m happy for you, but many of us don’t. If the holidays make you feel tired, jealous, stressed, and resentful, then you came to the right place. In this episode I’ll discuss different mental health challenges that may be coming up for you and I’ll weave in survey data on stress and mental health during the holiday season. We’ll cover things like social media comparison, invisible labor, pressure to be perfect, feeling overlooked, and being around drinking more than usual.

What to listen to next:

E249: Alcohol and Cortisol: Extra Stress and Extra Cravings

Holiday episodes: E255-261

Sober Support:

 Work with me:

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

Staying sober during the holidays is difficult, but there are some things that I’ve observed people do that make it even more difficult. In this episode, I’m covering 10 things you may be doing to sabotage your sobriety and how to stop doing them.

What to listen to next:

E211: The Anticipation of a Drink

E255-258 holiday support episodes

Sober Support:

 Work with me:

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

Humans are wired to conform—it’s a survival instinct rooted in safety and belonging. That’s why it can feel nearly impossible to resist the pull of doing what everyone else is doing, especially when it comes to drinking. In this episode, you’ll learn about the science behind peer pressure: how your brain processes the need to fit in, the role of automatic mimicry, and the power of mirror neurons. Plus, I’ll share 7 practical strategies to help you push back against the pressure and stay true to your commitment to sobriety.

What to listen to next:

E257: Sober Socializing: Why Alcohol Doesn’t Help

E255: 6 Strategies For Staying Sober Through the Holidays (and Some Holidays Drinking Statistics)

E224: Alcohol Makes Your Brain Stop Working

Sober Support:

 Work with me:

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

I know it feels like alcohol is required to socialize, connect with others, and have fun. What if I told you that alcohol makes you feel more relaxed socially, but negatively impacts other people’s perception of you? In this episode you’ll learn why you think you need alcohol, the connection between social anxiety and alcohol use disorder, how our drinking influences how others perceive us, and how to actually connect and socialize after quitting drinking.

What to listen to next:

E255: 6 Strategies For Staying Sober Through the Holidays (and Some Holidays Drinking Statistics)

E211: The Anticipation of the Drink

Sober Support:

 Work with me:

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