We've all heard it: "If you're drinking five nights a week, cut back to three." It sounds like a reasonable step, but here's the truth—your brain doesn't heal from "just less." In fact, even small amounts of alcohol keep your reward circuitry, stress hormones, and sleep disrupted. In this episode, I dive into:  How alcohol hijacks dopamine and why cutting back doesn't restore balance The pain-pleasure seesaw (Dr. Anna Lembke's research) and why even one drink tips it  Why your stress, sleep, and mental clarity don't truly improve until abstinence  The powerful stats that prove there's no safe level of drinking A reframe: how choosing alcohol-free is not deprivation but the gateway to freedom I also talk about the word abstinence—why it can feel heavy, clinical, or judgment-laden, and how we might meet it with curiosity instead of resistance.  Whether you're exploring your own alcohol-free path or supporting others, this episode gives you the science and the inspiration to see why "just one less" keeps us stuck. Show Notes

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