Sober Powered

Gillian Tietz, MS, CAMS-I
Sober Powered Podcast

Why do I have to be sober? Was I really a weak-willed loser like the stigma says? Why do I want to eat so much sugar and drink all the coffee? In the Sober Powered Podcast, I will help you understand how alcohol affects the brain, how to navigate sober life, and how to develop the coping skills and tools you need. This podcast is for anyone whether you are sober curious, made the decision to get sober for good, or you're been sober for years. I'll cover a variety of topics to help you get and stay sober like alcohol cravings, relapse, habit formation, coping skills, and emotional sobriety. I know you don't believe me now (because I didn't believe it either), but sober is better. Give me a chance to convince you. About me: I was a daily drinker who got sober on November 9, 2019 after 5 years of desperately trying to moderate. I was a biochemist and now I use my science background and lived experience in sobriety to teach you how alcohol affects the brain. I am also a certified anger management specialist. Instagram: @sober.powered

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    E246: Alcohol and Dementia

    Many of us worry that we’ve done permanent damage to our brains with our heavy drinking or that it’s been too long to make a change. In this episode you’ll learn more about dementia, how heavy drinking damages the brain and increases the risk of developing dementia, and what you can do to reduce your risk of dementia, besides quitting drinking of course. I will also discuss wet brain, also known as Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome, which is another consequence of long term heavy drinking.  What to listen to next: E196: how the brain recovers after quitting drinking E224: alcohol makes your brain stop working E240: post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) Sober Support: Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership Tired in Early Sobriety Course https://www.soberpowered.com/why-am-i-so-tired-after-quitting-drinking Anger Management Coaching https://www.soberpowered.com/anger Weekly emails on Fridays https://www.soberpowered.com/email   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

    32 min
  2. AUG 30

    E244: Boredom in Sobriety

    It’s very normal to feel bored when you quit drinking. We get used to constant excitement, dopamine and chaos while we’re drinking, so it can be difficult to adjust. Plus, many of us give up our hobbies that don’t involve alcohol, so when we get sober we don’t know what to do with all of our free time. In this episode I’m going to discuss why some of us are prone to boredom when we try to stop drinking. Throughout the episode I am going to build on our definition of boredom and why it develops. Then we’ll discuss strategies for managing boredom in sobriety. What to listen to next: E162: what to expect cognitively when you quit drinking E235: dopamine and loss of control E226: using alcohol to escape your life E228: why alcohol automatically captures and holds your attention Sober Support: Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership Tired in Early Sobriety Course https://www.soberpowered.com/why-am-i-so-tired-after-quitting-drinking Anger Management Program https://www.soberpowered.com/anger Weekly emails on Fridays https://www.soberpowered.com/email   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

    22 min
  3. AUG 16

    E242: The Science of Making Good Habits in Long Term Sobriety

    Many of us eventually realize that we have unhealthy habits like eating a bunch of junk at night, drinking way too much caffeine, not exercising, and more. We want to change these, but changing habits is tough. We can easily get into the same cycle we did with our drinking where we say we’re going to do it and then we do nothing, or we get inspired briefly, and then go right back to normal. So how can we take advantage of the brain’s habit building system to get some healthy habits into our lives? In this episode you’ll learn how the brain forms habits and what makes the process quicker or slower. I’ll discuss a few ways that you can approach making new habits so it’s easier to follow through. What to listen to next: E238: why moderation doesn’t work E228: why alcohol captures and holds your attention E216: 4 types of impulsivity Sober Support: Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership Tired in Early Sobriety Course https://www.soberpowered.com/why-am-i-so-tired-after-quitting-drinking Anger Management Program https://www.soberpowered.com/anger Weekly emails on Fridays https://www.soberpowered.com/email   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

    23 min
  4. AUG 9

    E241: 6 Theories of Alcohol Cravings

    Understanding why you crave alcohol can be a powerful tool in your sober journey, helping you reduce the frequency and intensity of these cravings. There are many theories about why alcohol cravings occur, and in this episode, I’ll explore the six most scientifically supported reasons. By gaining insight into the different factors that contribute to alcohol cravings, you can strengthen your sober lifestyle and learn effective strategies to manage and reduce your own cravings. What to listen to next: E216: 4 types of impulsivity E203: why you want alcohol even when you hate it E204: can anyone get addicted to alcohol? E224: alcohol makes your brain stop working E201: your dysregulated stress response E235: dopamine and loss of control Sober Support: Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership Tired in Early Sobriety Course https://www.soberpowered.com/why-am-i-so-tired-after-quitting-drinking Anger Management Program https://www.soberpowered.com/anger Weekly emails on Fridays https://www.soberpowered.com/email   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

    25 min
  5. AUG 2

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

    You may have heard of Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS), a condition that can develop after you’ve quit drinking and includes lingering symptoms like mood swings, anxiety, brain fog, and fatigue. In this episode I will explain what PAWS is, why it develops, what factors influence the severity of PAWS, what you can expect, and I’ll give you 8 tips for coping with the symptoms. What to listen to next: E199: frustration tolerance E170: why the first year of sobriety is so hard (anhedonia) E201: your dysregulated stress response E157: brain fog and fatigue E224: alcohol makes your brain stop working E213: self-care is not turning off your brain with alcohol Sober Support: Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership Anger Management Program https://www.soberpowered.com/anger Sober Powered Episode Notes https://www.soberpowered.com/notes Weekly emails on Fridays https://www.soberpowered.com/email   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

    26 min
  6. AUG 1

    E0: How Alcohol Affects Your Body: Here's What the Science Says

    This episode is a deep dive into how alcohol affects the body, timestamps are below. This isn’t an episode meant to scare you, just to inform you about all the things you may be experiencing. Often we don’t know that alcohol is the cause. In the second half of the episode I’ll shift gears to the scary side of how alcohol impacts the body, specifically cancer and cirrhosis. I will give you a warning before I discuss the prognosis of cirrhosis so if that is information you don’t want to hear then you will be able to turn off the episode. I designed this episode to be the most comprehensive episode on how alcohol affects the body that has ever been released. Plus, it’s coming from a sober person who knows from personal experience. If this episode helps you, then I would really appreciate you sharing it to help me spread the word. What to listen to next: E231: everything you need to know about alcohol withdrawal E170: here's why the first year of sobriety is so hard E196: how the brain recovers after quitting drinking E211: the anticipation of a drink E224: alcohol makes your brain stop working E228: how alcohol automatically captures and holds your attention E240: post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) Timestamps (may be shifted slightly due to ads. Thank you for listening to my ads to support all the work that goes into this podcast): 0:00-1:51 Intro 1:52-3:32 why alcohol makes you sweaty and red, night sweats 3:33-5:17 how alcohol affects sleep 5:18-13:00 heart rate and blood pressure 13:01-14:19 leg cramps 14:20-17:41 skin and aging 17:43-19:59 neurotoxin, alcoholic neuropathy 20:00-22:39 muscle building and losing body fat 22:40-24:24 alcohol shrinks the brain 24:25-27:58 how alcohol initially energizes us before making us exhausted 27:59-32:54 gut and oral health, inflammation, acid reflux 32:57-40:02 brain inflammation, memory and cognitive impairments 40:06-44:49 where does alcohol go after you drink it, alcohol metabolism  44:50-48:48 how alcohol metabolism changes when you drink heavily 48:49-50:23 why women typically have more health related consequences than men 50:24-59:06 how alcohol causes cancer 59:07-1:07 how alcohol causes fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and cirrhosis 1:08-end the prognosis for someone with cirrhosis About me: https://www.soberpowered.com/about Sober Support: Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership Anger Management Program https://www.soberpowered.com/anger Weekly emails on Fridays https://www.soberpowered.com/email 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

    1h 22m

Trailer

4.9
out of 5
1,058 Ratings

About

Why do I have to be sober? Was I really a weak-willed loser like the stigma says? Why do I want to eat so much sugar and drink all the coffee? In the Sober Powered Podcast, I will help you understand how alcohol affects the brain, how to navigate sober life, and how to develop the coping skills and tools you need. This podcast is for anyone whether you are sober curious, made the decision to get sober for good, or you're been sober for years. I'll cover a variety of topics to help you get and stay sober like alcohol cravings, relapse, habit formation, coping skills, and emotional sobriety. I know you don't believe me now (because I didn't believe it either), but sober is better. Give me a chance to convince you. About me: I was a daily drinker who got sober on November 9, 2019 after 5 years of desperately trying to moderate. I was a biochemist and now I use my science background and lived experience in sobriety to teach you how alcohol affects the brain. I am also a certified anger management specialist. Instagram: @sober.powered

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