23/08/2025
I’m speaking of a moment. The moment you don't open the bottle or you don't meet up for 'just one'.
The moment I am referring to is 'the pause' before giving in to an urge. This pause is just enough time to re-route the signals in your brain so you don't give in to your urges.
Sobriety isn't just about quitting alcohol; it’s about your brain’s response to wanting it.
When you feel an urge to drink but choose not to, your brain enters a "chemical pause" where it experiences a temporary dopamine surge, anticipating the reward of alcohol, but this spike then begins to flatten if the expected action doesn't occur.
“This process is a form of neuroplasticity, allowing your brain to learn that the trigger no longer leads to the reward.“
Over time and with repeated instances of not drinking, your brain's reward system is rewired, helping to weaken the association between the cue and the alcohol.
What Happens During the "Chemical Pause"
1: Dopamine Surge: An urge to drink triggers your brain's reward system, particularly the mesolimbic pathway. The ventral tegmental area (VTA) releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with reward, to the nucleus accumbens, creating a feeling of anticipation.
2. Anticipation Without Action: The dopamine spike occurs in anticipation of drinking, not after. When you don't act on the urge, this dopamine doesn't immediately disappear.
3. The Pause: The unspent dopamine sits there, creating a sense of tension or impatience as your brain waits for the expected reward to follow.
4. Dopamine Flattening: If you can hold out for a short time, the dopamine levels begin to decrease.
5. Rewiring: With repeated "pauses," your brain learns that the cue for drinking no longer leads to the reward, effectively unlearning the connection.
Why This Process is Important In Breaking the Cycle
This is how you actively break the habit and weaken the power of alcohol-related cues.
Neuroplasticity in Action: You're leveraging your brain's ability to change and adapt, also known as neuroplasticity.
Rebuilding the Brain: Each time you resist the urge, you're helping to build new, healthier neural pathways and strengthen your brain's ability to recover.
Read more: https://mailchi.mp/detoxplusuk.info/this-is-how-to-change-your-brain-to-stop-drinking-alcohol
