In this brutally honest episode of Lights On, Carl and Laura Lentz expose the one factor sabotaging most couples' healing from infidelity: alcohol. Drawing from their own reconstruction journey and counseling countless couples through betrayal, they reveal why drinking delays recovery, blocks the exact brain functions needed to rebuild trust, and turns an already burning house into an inferno. Carl shares why he hasn't had a drink in over 2 years after realizing alcohol was filling the same void his addictions once did, while Laura opens up about how drinking amplified her triggers and suspicions. They break down the science: how alcohol reduces frontal lobe function (killing empathy and self-control), activates fight mode in your amygdala (making everything a threat), and blocks oxytocin (the bonding hormone you desperately need). From couples throwing punches after two drinks to the betrayed spouse pouring gasoline on their own fire, this episode exposes why any couple keeping alcohol in the picture struggles significantly more. Whether you're the betrayer numbing guilt or the betrayed drowning pain, this conversation reveals why that glass of wine might be the very thing keeping you stuck. Warning: This episode challenges the cultural norm that alcohol helps you "loosen up" and may trigger those committed to avoiding the real work of healing.
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Follow Carl at: https://www.instagram.com/carllentz/
Follow Laura at: https://www.instagram.com/lauralentz/
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Supported by God Behind Bars
https://godbehindbars.com
Supported by Plana
https://plana.org/
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CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Why Alcohol Makes Healing Impossible
03:16 - The Truth: Betrayal Pain Never Fully Goes Away
05:47 - Why Couples Who Drink Struggle MORE
10:15 - Trading One Addiction For Another
14:36 - "I Lost Everything - Don't Take My Wine!"
21:47 - We Found ZERO Studies Showing Alcohol Helps
23:43 - Your Brain On Alcohol: The 3 Effects
24:44 - God Behind Bars Partnership
29:15 - When Drinking Leads To Physical Fights
35:34 - "Sit In Your Sh*t" - Rehab Wisdom
40:08 - "Alcohol Doesn't Help You Feel, It Helps You Rehearse"
43:51 - Plana.org Partnership
49:07 - Laura's Message To Women In Pain
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