It's Not About the Alcohol Colleen Kachmann

Have you considered using naltrexone or other medications to curb your alcohol cravings?
 
As alcohol use disorder is technically a thinking problem, most of us are too afraid to discuss our symptoms with a doctor. We worry about being forced into a treatment program or denied medications due to our drinking.
 
And the more we try and fail to change on our own, the more shame and fear we feel…which increases your stress and perpetuates the cycle of overdrinking. 
 
It feels like there is a ticking time bomb threatening to ruin our health, marriage and family dynamics. The guilt is overwhelming. Yet we have no idea what to do.
 
You already know there is no magic pill. However, there are medications that can help. But how are you supposed to get it if you don’t have a doctor you can trust?
 
Dr. Joshua Lee, MD specializes in medication-assisted treatment of alcohol use disorder. He is passionate about making evidence-based treatments accessible to those seeking to drink less or achieve sobriety. He is the Chief Clinical Advisor at Oar Health, a telemedicine platform that provides convenient and private access to naltrexone for anyone suffering with alcohol use disorder. In this episode, you’ll learn:
How naltrexone effects the brain to reduce alcohol cravings
The difference between the Sinclair Method and other naltrexone therapies
Success rates for naltrexone…and what to expect if you decide to try it
How to access naltrexone without if you don’t want to see your family doctor or file for insurance
 
Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL WITH COLLEEN Are you looking for a mindful drinking coach instead of a sobriety program? I can help you reduce your drinking by 80 percent within a month so you don't have to quit. Walk away with clarity about why you're struggling and what tools you need to achieve your goals. 
 
Click here to visit https://www.oarhealth.com/
 
Dr. Joshua Lee, MD is a highly accomplished clinician and researcher specializing in medication-assisted treatment of alcohol and opioid use disorders. Josh is passionate about making evidence-based treatment accessible to those seeking to drink less or achieve sobriety. His extensive experience includes conducting clinical trials on naltrexone and buprenorphine in primary care, criminal justice, and community settings. He also treats patients struggling with addiction as a primary care physician. Josh is a Professor of Population Health and Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, directs the ACGME-accredited Addiction Medicine Fellowship, and leads research initiatives focused on justice and community outcomes. He is also Chief Clinical Advisor at Oar Health, a telemedicine platform that makes medication-assisted treatment for alcohol use disorder convenient and private. http://www.oarhealth.com/podcast
 

Are you worried about your ability to access high quality healthcare at a reasonable cost?
 
Most of us are distracted by the politics of healthcare. But while we’re arguing about the rising costs and who has access to what services, most of us have failed to notice that the healthcare system in which we grew up no longer exists. 
 
It’s almost impossible to be seen when we’re actually sick. Our doctors have no time to discuss complicated concerns. And then we’re blindsided by monthly premiums and out of pocket expenses. 
 
We know the system is broken. But what’s the alternative?
 
My guest today is Dr. Maryal Concepcion, a family medicine doctor who joined the mass exodus of burned out physicians refusing to provide substandard care in the insurance-based system. We’re doing a deep dive into the direct primary care (DPC) model that is revolutionizing the connection between doctors and their patients and providing high quality, comprehensive care at a fraction of the cost. In this episode, you’ll learn:
The difference between DPC and insurance-based business models
How the DPC model benefits families with small children and people   with severe chronic illnesses 
If you still need insurance when you have a DPC physician
How to find a DPC physician in your area
 
Follow me on TikTok @hangoverwhisperer and IG/FB @RecoverwithColleen. DM me with your feedback and questions. I love hearing from you!
 
Listen to Maryal’s podcast My DPC Story and find more on social media: @mydpcstory (IG, FB, TikTok, YouTube, X)
 
Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL WITH COLLEEN Are you looking for a coach instead of a sobriety program? I can help you reduce your drinking by 80 percent within a month so you don't have to quit. Walk away with clarity about why you're struggling and what tools you need to achieve your goals. 
 

Do you worry about how much you drink? 
 
Health conscious, high achieving women who prioritize clean eating, exercise, anti-aging supplements and skin care routines tend to have a lot of anxiety when it comes to alcohol. 
 
You know drinking is a bad habit, yet giving up the reward at the end of a stressful day feels impossible. 
 
But instead of setting realistic goals to change, you beat yourself up for not being perfect…and secretly worry that you might have to quit drinking for good. Because you seem to lose control after one or two drinks.
 
When you compare yourself to your friends, you're less worried. But you don’t actually know how much they drink beyond social situations. And you’re afraid to ask. 
 
The criteria for alcohol use disorder has nothing to do with how much alcohol you drink. It’s a subjective assessment based on a single question: do you drink more than you think you should drink?
 
Which means you’re dealing with a thinking problem, not a drinking problem. 
 
In this episode you’ll learn:
The 5 mistakes that turn normal drinkers into overdrinkers
Why the solution to over-drinking is not abstinence
How to interrupt the thought patterns that make you crave alcohol
 
Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL WITH COLLEEN Are you're looking for a coach instead of a sobriety program? I can help you reduce your drinking by 80 percent within a month so you don't have to quit. Walk away with clarity about why you're struggling and what tools you need to achieve your goals. 

Are you the type of person who tends to over-do it, because if one is good, ten is better?
 
The inability to self-regulate is a hallmark symptom of ADHD. Because the ADHD brain does not regulate dopamine well. Which makes it hard to get started when a task seems boring, and hard to stop when you’re feeling good.
 
Typically perceived as a learning disability in school-aged boys, the ADHD diagnosis for women ages 30-49 has doubled in the last few years.
 
Which is good…because without a proper diagnosis, most ADHDers attribute their struggles to a lack of integrity and discipline. But feeling like a failure only compounds the emotional energy required to function. And further increases your risk of addiction.
 
Eric Trivers is a licensed clinical social worker, certified ADHD service provider and host of the hit podcast ADHD Rewired. In this episode, you’ll learn:
How ADHD impairs executive function and drains your emotional reserves
How menopause affects the symptoms of ADHD in women
Why undiagnosed ADHD makes you more susceptible to addiction
How stimulant medications support the ADHD brain when overcoming alcohol use disorder
Why the primary coping strategies for ADHD are awareness and self-compassion
 
Find more with Eric Trivers @ADHDreWired on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
Click here to BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL WITH COLLEEN: If you're looking for a coach instead of a sobriety program so you can reduce your drinking without having to quit, schedule a free consultation with Colleen. You'll walk away from the call with clarity about why you're struggling and what tools you need to achieve your goals. 
 

Do you feel pressure when you think about changing your relationship with alcohol? Like "good behavior" is just one more thing you have to work on?
 
The reason drinking less (or not at all) feels impossible for many women is because alcohol has become a coping mechanism for stress. 
 
The problem is that drinking to relieve stress is the fast-past to addiction. Because the more stress you feel, the more you want to drink. And when you start drinking more than your body can tolerate, your own guilt and shame fuel the cycle. 
 
But learning how to reduce your stress with meditation can quickly inhibit your desire for alcohol…even if you’ve never meditated for a minute in your life. You don’t have to spend hours or commit to a regular practice.
 
Becoming skilled in techniques that shut off stress hormones means you’ll no longer have to rely on alcohol, medications or supplements to relax and quiet your mind. Ann Swanson is a yoga therapist and best selling author of two books: The Science of Yoga and Meditation for the Real World. In this episode, you’ll learn:
How meditation changes your brain chemistry and structure… making you smarter and happier.
How to find a meditation practice that meets your needs so that you’re motivated to stick with it
Simple strategies and techniques that non-meditators can use to get started
How to use mindfulness practices to change your relationship with alcohol
 
Click here to find Ann's new book + free meditations and find her on YouTube and Instagram
 
Are you on TikTok? I just joined! Follow my new account…@hangoverwhisperer
 
Want to learn how to reduce your drinking by 80 percent within a month so you don't have to quit? Register for my FREE 2-Part Training Series on the Accelerated Recovery Process©. Learn how to use the 7 core principles of emotional sobriety to fix the thinking habits that cause alcohol use disorder. 

Do you have insomnia or identify as a person who has trouble sleeping?
 
For many people, feeling tired is a way of life. We think we “can’t” sleep…and so we don’t sleep. 
 
We develop bad habits to cope with exhaustion…relying on caffeine and other stimulants for energy, skimping on workouts and healthy eating, and then scrolling on our phones or watching television when we can’t fall asleep.
 
Because what else can you do?
 
Over time, sleep deprivation takes a toll on our mental health. But most of us lay awake at night anxiously thinking that our stress is caused by other people, lack of time, and malfunctioning hormones and brain chemistry.  
 
You might be assuming that sleep is some magical event that just happens to lucky people.
 
But sleep is actually a skill…and you can relearn. You’ll need to shift your strategy from trying to bypass the symptoms of fatigue to actually embracing them…so you can fall asleep and stay asleep.
 
Helen Sernett is the host of the hit podcast Sleep Lists, which she launched after recovering from insomnia. In this episode you’ll learn:
How sleep impacts your mental health (and vice versa)
Why your brain turns on (instead of off) when you get into bed
How thinking you “can’t” sleep perpetuates bad habits that keep you awake
How long it takes to cure insomnia
 
Want to learn how to drink mindfully so you can reduce your alcohol consumption by 80 percent? Register now for my FREE 2-Part Training Series to fix the thinking habits that cause over-drinking using the 7 Core principles of emotional sobriety.
 
Like this episode? I’d love to hear from you! DM me on:
Instagram: @recoverwithcolleen 
TikTok: @hangoverwhisperer
Facebook group: It’s Not About the Alcohol Podcast Discussion
Or send me an email colleen@recoverwithcolleen.com
 
Find Helen Sernett and the Sleep List podcast and blog at https://www.sleeplists.com/