Why do some people stay sober and others relapse back and forth? Getting sober isn’t about restriction, it’s about rewiring your brain to function without intensity, chaos, dopamine spikes, and avoidance.
Hosted by Gill Tietz, a former biochemist turned sober coach, this show dives into the neuroscience of long-term sobriety — why some people relapse, why others stay free, and how to build the kind of brain that can handle life without alcohol.
Each episode blends science, psychology, and real experience to help you strengthen the four pillars of neuro-resilience:
1. Neural Recovery – healing your brain’s reward and stress systems after alcohol.
2. Emotional Regulation – calming reactivity and learning to feel without numbing.
3. Cognitive Rewiring – changing the thought patterns that quietly pull you backward.
4. Behavioral Integration – designing routines and habits that make being sober your default.
Whether you’re newly sober or years in, you’ll learn the research-backed tools and mind shifts that keep you steady, so sobriety stops feeling like something you’re trying to want and starts feeling like who you are.
This is hard work. If you want my support, then check out my online sober community or my 1:1 work.
Website: www.soberpowered.com
All content for Sober Powered: The Neuroscience of Being Sober is the property of Gillian Tietz, MS, CPRC and is served directly from their servers
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Why do some people stay sober and others relapse back and forth? Getting sober isn’t about restriction, it’s about rewiring your brain to function without intensity, chaos, dopamine spikes, and avoidance.
Hosted by Gill Tietz, a former biochemist turned sober coach, this show dives into the neuroscience of long-term sobriety — why some people relapse, why others stay free, and how to build the kind of brain that can handle life without alcohol.
Each episode blends science, psychology, and real experience to help you strengthen the four pillars of neuro-resilience:
1. Neural Recovery – healing your brain’s reward and stress systems after alcohol.
2. Emotional Regulation – calming reactivity and learning to feel without numbing.
3. Cognitive Rewiring – changing the thought patterns that quietly pull you backward.
4. Behavioral Integration – designing routines and habits that make being sober your default.
Whether you’re newly sober or years in, you’ll learn the research-backed tools and mind shifts that keep you steady, so sobriety stops feeling like something you’re trying to want and starts feeling like who you are.
This is hard work. If you want my support, then check out my online sober community or my 1:1 work.
Website: www.soberpowered.com
E291: Why You May Still Crave Alcohol Long Term, and Why No Cravings Doesn’t Mean You’re “Cured”
Sober Powered: The Neuroscience of Being Sober
17 minutes
2 months ago
E291: Why You May Still Crave Alcohol Long Term, and Why No Cravings Doesn’t Mean You’re “Cured”
We tend to think of cravings as the enemy in sobriety. If you still want to drink, it must mean you’re doing something wrong. And on the other side, if the cravings go away, it’s tempting to think you’re finally “cured.” Cravings are not a sign of weakness, and the absence of cravings doesn’t mean you’re going to be a special occasion drinker. They’re both just snapshots of what’s happening in your brain at a particular moment in time, not the whole story.
In today’s episode, we’re going to look at why alcohol cravings can stick around for months or even years after you quit, what’s actually happening in your brain when you don’t feel a craving, and why both states carry their own risks. We’ll dig into long-term vulnerability, even when you feel “over it,” and how you can use that knowledge to stay steady in your recovery.
What to listen to next:
E241: 6 Theories of Alcohol Cravings
E283: Alcohol Shortens Your Perception of Time (Instant Gratification)
E284: Reward Substitution: Healthy vs. Harmful Replacements for Alcohol
E278: Intrusive Thoughts About Drinking When You’re Already Sober & 3 Ways to Deal
E270: Cravings Increase After Quitting Drinking and Peak Around 60 Days Sober and 6 Months Sober
E266: Can You Drink Again After a Break?
Work with me:
Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership
Sober coaching https://www.soberpowered.com/sober-coaching
Weekly email:
You’ll hear from me on Fridays https://www.soberpowered.com/email
Free resources https://www.soberpowered.com/free
Courses:
The non-negotiable mindset https://www.soberpowered.com/mindset-course
Don’t try harder, try different https://www.soberpowered.com/willpower
Support the show:
If you enjoyed this episode please consider buying me a coffee to support all the research and effort that goes into this podcast https://www.buymeacoffee.com/soberpowered
Thank you for supporting this show by supporting my sponsors https://www.soberpowered.com/sponsors
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.
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Sober Powered: The Neuroscience of Being Sober
Why do some people stay sober and others relapse back and forth? Getting sober isn’t about restriction, it’s about rewiring your brain to function without intensity, chaos, dopamine spikes, and avoidance.
Hosted by Gill Tietz, a former biochemist turned sober coach, this show dives into the neuroscience of long-term sobriety — why some people relapse, why others stay free, and how to build the kind of brain that can handle life without alcohol.
Each episode blends science, psychology, and real experience to help you strengthen the four pillars of neuro-resilience:
1. Neural Recovery – healing your brain’s reward and stress systems after alcohol.
2. Emotional Regulation – calming reactivity and learning to feel without numbing.
3. Cognitive Rewiring – changing the thought patterns that quietly pull you backward.
4. Behavioral Integration – designing routines and habits that make being sober your default.
Whether you’re newly sober or years in, you’ll learn the research-backed tools and mind shifts that keep you steady, so sobriety stops feeling like something you’re trying to want and starts feeling like who you are.
This is hard work. If you want my support, then check out my online sober community or my 1:1 work.
Website: www.soberpowered.com
