RE 532: Mental Healing Year One AF

Today we have Adam. He is 34 years old from Denver, CO and took his last drink on May 19^th, 2022.

 

Sponsors for this episode include:

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[02:41] Thoughts from Paul:

 

Today Paul presents the second of a three-part series where he covers the healing one may expect in the first year away from alcohol. This week he covers the mental component of healing and what can generally be expected over the course of the first year away from alcohol.

 

In the beginning, don’t expect much but the brain fog will begin to lift by the end of the first week. Emotions will start to show up and you should embrace them. Seeing mood swings is completely normal but they will begin to improve over the next few months

 

Over the first year there are a lot of improvements to our awareness, our emotional regulation and our dopamine system.

 

Paul shares many more examples, but this is a short version of a longer list, and the mental healing goes on for years. Perhaps the biggest shift mentally is how you now feel about yourself now that you’ve made such a positive change by ditching the booze.

 

[11:45] Paul introduces Adam:

 

Adam was born and raised in Denver, CO. He and his fiancé are getting married in August this year. Adams works in the government affairs lobbying space in Colorado. For fun he loves skiing, hiking, reading and recovery work.

 

After his first drink at age 14, Adam knew he wanted to do more of it. He says he was a fearful