RE 592: GLP-1's and Addiction

Today we have Lauren. She is 39 years old from Chicago, IL and took her last drink on November 22nd, 2019.   This episode is brought to you by:   Sign up and get 10% off: Better Help   Bozeman 2026 – August 12th-16th, 2026   Stay tuned here for some upcoming travel opportunities in 2027-2028   If you're wondering what you can expect in your first seven days alcohol free, check out our FREE 7-day guide.   [02:58] Thoughts from Paul:   This week, Paul talks about GLP-1s and the growing evidence that these medications can help with cravings for opioids, cigarettes and alcohol in addition to their effectiveness' in assisting with weight loss and diabetes.     The research is in the initial phases, but there have been studies showing that GLP-1s can lower alcohol cravings. Researchers found that GLP-1 plus therapy can reduce heavy drinking. And a clinical trial published in JAMA Psychiatry found that GLP-1s significantly reduced weekly alcohol cravings compared to placebo.   This may not be the magical cure for alcoholism that we've been looking for, but it could give the jump start we may need. Since the drinking problem is more like the canary in the mine saying something in your life is out of balance, a GLP-1 will not fix that.   We've always said at RE that there is no one-size-fits-all path to sobriety. For some people it's AA. For some it's therapy. For some it's community, nature, spirituality, movement. Maybe for some people, the path starts with a GLP-1.   [11:29] Paul introduces Lauren:   Lauren lives in Chicago, she is single, and she lives close to her family. She is a director of business processes for car wash equipment manufacturing. For fun, Lauren is a member of multiple clubs and enjoys taking painting classes.   Lauren says the first time she drank was while on a date when she was 16. She recalls that she blacked out and that blacking out was common for her throughout her drinking career. In college, Lauren was in sorority where they hosted a lot of drinking activities. This continued after she graduated and got a job. Drinking on the weekends, after work and at work events was common for Lauren.   Lauren's drinking got bad in 2018 when she began traveling often for work. When she wasn't traveling, she found herself drinking more frequently, often early in the day. She was driving while in blackouts, damaging her car and waking up the next day not knowing what happened. Over time Lauren realized she needed to quit. She began watching YouTube videos about quitting drinking and concluded that she needed to get off the road and find a job that was more stable if she was going to be able to quit.   Lauren tried moderation and it rarely worked. She was letting people down and not following through on commitments. She finally broke down with her sister on the phone on the morning after a blackout and told her she had a drinking problem. Lauren says this was when she surrendered. She said a prayer, vowed that she would try to quit and if she was successful, she would help others.   Lauren didn't know anyone that was sober, so she Googled sober podcasts and found RE. She began listening to episodes while walking. Lauren began to notice the similarities in everyone's' stories, instead of the differences. Lauren thought to herself "one day I'm going to be on this podcast". In addition to listening to the podcast, Lauren started practicing cognitive behavioral therapy. She is a member of Café RE and a local group in Chicago that meets every week.   The first few years were hard for Lauren. She reflects that maybe it was because she wasn't connected to a community at the time. As time has gone on, she has got more involved and is giving back to communities by hosting meetings and started her own coaching business called Sober Professional Club.   Lauren's parting piece of guidance: Don't wait. Do it today. Do it right now. You could have your last drink right now.   Recovery Elevator You took the elevator down. You've got to take the stairs back up. We can do this.