225 episodes
Sober Powered Gillian Tietz, MS, CAMS-I
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- Health & Fitness
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4.9 • 942 Ratings
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I promise you, you're not a weak-willed loser with no self-control. There are a lot of reasons why we can't control the way we drink- trauma, lack of coping skills, stress, anger, anxiety. Plus, as you'll learn in my podcast, alcohol takes advantage of our vulnerabilities to hook us, then it changes our brains to keep us stuck and reliant on alcohol. It's not about willpower. In the Sober Powered Podcast, I use science, psychology, and compassion to help you understand why you use self-destructive coping skills like alcohol, what happens in the brain to make drinking spiral out of control and prevent us from drinking in moderation, and how to develop the coping skills and emotional sobriety you need to quit drinking and stay sober.
About me: I quit drinking on November 9, 2019. I have a master's in biology and I'm a certified anger management specialist and crisis intervention specialist.
Not sure where to start? My most popular episodes are 99, 150, 170, 177, 180, 186, 191, 194, 196, 197 and 202.
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E209: How Porn Addiction Affects the Brain
Behavioral addictions are stigmatized because they feel like more of a choice because there’s no substance changing your brain. However, process addictions or behavioral addictions like porn do actually change the brain in similar ways. In this episode I’ll explain why porn is so addicting, brain changes from porn, and how porn influences us to objectify women and see them as sex objects. Porn has another layer of addictiveness beyond brain changes, it causes novelty seeking. This destroys relationships and I will explain more about why porn promotes novelty seeking, being unable to enjoy regular sex, and warning signs to look out for that you or a loved one are addicted to porn.
What to listen to next:
E170: Why the First Year of Sobriety is so Hard (it's Dopamine!)
E128: Why Cravings are So Powerful (Attentional Bias)
E203: Why You Still Want Alcohol Even When You Hate It (It’s Dopamine!)
E201: Your Dysregulated Stress Response
E202: WTF is “The Work”?
E204: Can Anyone Get Addicted to Alcohol?
Get support for porn addiction:
Porn Addicts Anonymous (12 Steps) https://www.pornaddictsanonymous.org/
The Addicted Mind Podcast https://theaddictedmind.com/episode-260-unraveling-the-complexities-of-sex-and-porn-addiction-with-dr-paula-hall/
The Addicted Mind Shame Webinar https://theaddictedmind.com/shame
Therapy Brothers Podcast (Call in Show) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/therapy-brothers/id1500794877
Unhooked Podcast Breaking Porn Addiction https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unhooked-breaking-porn-addiction-podcast/id1648984850
Relay App https://www.joinrelay.app/porn-recovery
Find a therapist that specializes in porn addiction (sort by zip code, insurance, and select sex addiction under "issue") https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists
Get Support:
Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership
Anger Management Program https://www.soberpowered.com/anger
Weekly emails on Thursdays https://www.soberpowered.com/email
Quiz: what should you focus on to stay sober? https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/661458075c79120015d2eb4f
Free resources https://www.soberpowered.com/free
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 -
E208: Stress, Depression and Our Eating Habits
We do the same thing with our diet that we do with our drinking- our eating habits aren’t great, but they’re not bad either so it feels manageable. Our food quality impacts our mental health and stress levels though. I’ve been struggling with fatigue and depression, so it got me interested in the link. In this episode I’m explaining the importance of breakfast and a high quality diet. You’ll learn how what you eat impacts the way you feel, how stressed you are, and how this makes us more likely to reach for a drink or to emotionally eat at the end of the day.
What to listen to next:
E201: your dysregulated stress response
E188: wellness over weight loss
Get Support:
Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership
Anger Management Program https://www.soberpowered.com/anger
Weekly emails on Thursdays https://www.soberpowered.com/email
Quiz: what is causing your alcohol cravings? https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/65db8de55d674c92e333e001
Free resources https://www.soberpowered.com/free
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 -
E207: 15 Milestones to Look Forward to in Sobriety (Sober Timeline)
There are lots of great things that happen when you quit drinking, but we can get distracted by wanting everything to be easy and perfect. In this episode I’m sharing 15 things you can look forward to from day 2 to years of sobriety. Wherever you’re at in your journey, this episode will remind you of some of the best things about being sober.
What to listen to next:
E17: alcohol and the heart
E169: alcohol and gut health
E159, 161, 162: physical, cognitive, and emotional benefits from quitting drinking
E188: wellness over weight loss
E75: how sleep recovers in sobriety
E157: brain fog and fatigue
E175: 5 ways to boost your energy
E170: why the first year of sobriety is so hard (it's dopamine)
Get Support:
Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership
Anger Management Program https://www.soberpowered.com/anger
Weekly emails on Thursdays https://www.soberpowered.com/email
Quiz: what is causing your alcohol cravings? https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/65db8de55d674c92e333e001
Free resources https://www.soberpowered.com/free
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 -
E206: HALT: Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired
You’ve probably heard of the acronym HALT, hungry, angry, lonely, tired. These are all triggers for relapse because they influence our ability to think things through and wait. These feelings make us impulsive, overwhelmed, and more likely to go for an instant gratification choice like drinking, even when we know we want to stay sober. In this episode I’m explaining why these 4 conditions are triggering.
What to listen to next:
E192: E192: Do You Need a Drink or Are You Just Hungry? (Alcohol & Ghrelin)
E186: Anger Management in Sobriety
E199: Frustration Tolerance
E157: Fatigue and Brain Fog in Early Sobriety
E175: Tired After Quitting Drinking? Here’s How to Boost Your Energy Levels
E159: What to Expect Physically When You Quit Drinking
E161: What to Expect Emotionally When You Quit Drinking
E162: What to Expect Cognitively When You Quit Drinking
Get Support:
Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership
Anger Management Program https://www.soberpowered.com/anger
Weekly emails on Thursdays https://www.soberpowered.com/email
Quiz: what is causing your alcohol cravings? https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/65db8de55d674c92e333e001
Free resources https://www.soberpowered.com/free
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 -
E205: Kindling in Alcohol Withdrawal
For some of us, each time we go through withdrawal, the next withdrawal is worse. This is called kindling and in this episode I’m explaining what kindling is and how it happens. You’ll learn why we get withdrawal symptoms when we quit drinking, what delirium tremens is, and how kindling makes it harder to get sober. I’ll also discuss what counts as a cycle of withdrawal and what doesn’t.
What to listen to next:
E191: Going Back and Forth Makes Your Cravings Stronger
E201: Your Dysregulated Stress Response
E203: Why You Still Want Alcohol Even When You Hate It (It’s Dopamine!)
E22: Why You Think Alcohol Helps Your Anxiety
E180: Why Your Drinking Gets Worse Over Time, Not Better
E196: How the Brain Recovers After Quitting Drinking
E170: Here’s Why Early Sobriety is So Hard (it’s dopamine)
E161: What to Expect Emotionally in Early Sobriety
Get Support:
Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership
Anger Management Program https://www.soberpowered.com/anger
Weekly emails on Thursdays https://www.soberpowered.com/email
Quiz: what is causing your alcohol cravings? https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/65db8de55d674c92e333e001
Free resources https://www.soberpowered.com/free
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 -
E204: Can Anyone Get Addicted to Alcohol?
Is everyone on the slow path towards addiction? Are all moderate drinkers a little bit addicted? We know alcohol is an addictive substance that gets us hooked and then changes our brains to keep us hooked, but why does this process even start? In this episode I’ll explain 15 risk factors that can lead us to become addicted to alcohol. You’ll learn about emotional factors, genetic factors, and life circumstances that influence the risk of developing a problem with alcohol.
What to listen to next:
E177: 4 years sober. Why did this happen to me?
E199: frustration tolerance
E203: why you want alcohol even when you hate it
E71 and 72: trauma episodes
E29: how alcohol affects the teen brain
E201: your dysregulated stress response (cortisol)
E202: wtf is "the work"?
E88: sibling studies: why one gets addicted and the other doesn't
Get Support:
Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership
Anger Management Program https://www.soberpowered.com/anger
Weekly emails on Thursdays https://www.soberpowered.com/email
Quiz: what is causing your alcohol cravings? https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/65db8de55d674c92e333e001
Free resources https://www.soberpowered.com/free
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
Customer Reviews
Gill is knowledgeable, funny & relatable
I love the science behind this podcast. Gill breaks it down so it’s easy to understand. This is a big part of my recovery
Great show
I love Jill and all of her content. I wish the episodes were longer but I understand she’s a busy woman and appreciate the small amounts she’s able to produce. I also wish there weren’t so many ads but I also understand that’s just how podcasts are these days.
I love hearing all the science and research.
Need Encouragement? Start here!
Gill is Real! The things she shares… I’m like “ that’s me” she relates she gets it! If you are sober curious ( when I hopped on) or newly sober ( where I am now) I Encourage you to listen … search episodes and listen to
The one you need right Now! I can’t Thank Sober Powered enough!