Ever wonder why you want alcohol so badly—only to feel like absolute garbage afterward? You’re not broken. Your brain is just doing its job. In this episode, I want to share more about the neuroscience of addiction, diving deep into the opponent process theory, neurotransmitter chaos, and the real reason that 5 p.m. craving feels like a freight train.

In this episode I cover:

• The brain’s “AB Process” and how it wires us to crave booze and crash after
• Why the wine witch hour isn’t about willpower—it’s about biology
• GABA, glutamate, dopamine & cortisol: what’s really going on in your brain
• How tolerance and withdrawal escalate over time (and why)
• Why early sobriety feels like a hormonal rollercoaster—and how long it really lasts
• Why understanding brain science is the ultimate tool to ditch shame and build lasting sobriety

I share the moment when everything clicked (in a Safeway parking lot, of all places), and how learning the science behind addiction finally made me feel empowered—not broken.

Links:

Access the AB Process Course

You can find Kate on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/rewiredsober/

Explore Kate’s blog: https://thesobercurator.com/category/sober-lifestyle/youve-been-selected/

Work with Kate: https://linktr.ee/KateVitela

Email Podcast: team@katevitelacoaching.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Rewired Sober Group Coaching Program

https://kate-vitela.mykajabi.com/rewired-sober-coaching-program