How we get Hooked on Alcohol - Janet Gourand

September 12, 2020 Tribe Sober - Your guide to alcohol-free living! After running Tribe Sober for 5 years and helping hundreds of people to ditch the drink and embrace alcohol-free living I've learned a thing or two.  My biggest insight has been that sharing our stories around alcohol is the most powerful way we can help others - that's why the heart of this podcast is recovery stories. We've heard some heartwarming stories so far - stories about people becoming dependent on alcohol and then finding their way out of it again. This week I'm doing a solo episode on the science behind alcohol dependency which underlines the importance of taking a break.  If you've missed Sober Spring then drop us a line at [email protected] We'll let you know when the next challenge will take place.  In this Episode In our 20's and 30's we tend to be social drinkers - then some of us start using alcohol to cope with stress or loneliness As we get into our 40's or 50's we discover that just how bad alcohol is for us - so we try to cut down or stop We discover that this is not so easy to do The harsh truth is that after 20 years of drinking we are almost certain to develop a dependency on alcohol When we drink we create an endorphin spike (the buzz) but our brain produces dynorphin to calm it down So we drink more to prolong the buzz but over time this means that we have to drink more and more to get the same result Three things are happening when we drink - we get an endorphin spike and a dopamine hit Apart from making you feel good dopamine is the "learning" molecule and will create triggers Eventually your brain will "pre-empt" the trigger and produce dynorphin This will make you feel low and you will need the drink, just to feel normal Eventually our bodies get so reliant on alcohol so alcohol that we don't produce dopamine naturally any more The result is that we will lose interest in everyday pleasures - the only thing we enjoy is the artificial boost we get from alcohol That's the definition of an alcoholic - let us help you get off the slippery slope   More info To access our website click HERE and to read about subscription membership click HERE.   If you missed the Sober Spring start date then just email us for info on the next Challenge Episode Sponsor This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up today.  Read more about our 7-step program and subscribe HERE.  Music by CadacusMusic  Help us to spread the word! We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share. We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning. You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  You can join our private Facebook group HERE Thank you for listening!  Till Next Week Janet x