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Sober Powered: The Neuroscience of Being Sober

Cravings Increase After Quitting Drinking and Peak Around 60 Days Sober and 6 Months Sober (Replay)

Sober Powered: The Neuroscience of Being Sober

Gillian Tietz, MS, CPRC

Mental Health, Education, Science, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness

4.91.3K Ratings

🗓️ 27 February 2026

⏱️ 29 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

You probably expect that the more sober time you have, the less you crave alcohol. That’s true for some people, but others experience an effect called incubation of craving. This is where cravings build up over time and peak around 60 days, then again around 6 months sober. In this episode, I’ll explain the research on incubation of craving, what you might experience, why this happens, and what you can do to stay sober. Work with me: Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership Sober coaching https://www.soberpowered.com/sober-coaching Course Pickled. Why Moderation is Impossible https://www.soberpowered.com/pickled Weekly email: You’ll hear from me on Fridays https://www.soberpowered.com/email Support the show: If you enjoyed this episode please consider buying me a coffee to support all the research and effort that goes into this podcast https://www.buymeacoffee.com/soberpowered Thank you for supporting this show by supporting my sponsors https://www.soberpowered.com/sponsors Sources are posted on my website Disclaimer: all of the information described in this podcast is my interpretation of the research combined with my opinion. This is not medical advice.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

You probably expect that the more sober time you have, the less you will crave alcohol.

0:06.2

That's true for some people, but others experience an effect called incubation of craving.

0:13.2

This is where cravings build up over time and peak, around 60 days, and then again around six

0:20.0

months sober.

0:25.3

In this episode, I'll explain the research on incubation of craving,

0:31.5

what you might experience, why this happens, and what you can do to stay sober.

0:37.3

And before we dig in, I'd like to take a moment to thank my sponsors who made this episode possible. When you quit drinking,

0:39.5

you expect clarity and calm. And then you realize that your nervous system is basically like,

0:45.6

cool, so we're feeling everything now? Stress can be more intense, and that sober sleep that everyone

0:51.9

talks about can feel like it's actively avoiding you.

0:55.8

That's why Tenasi has been part of my routine for years, and now their most popular product,

1:01.5

the soft gels, just got an upgrade. They added Omega-3s to their CBD plus CBDA formula

1:08.5

so that you're supporting your brain, mood, and inflammation all in one capsule.

1:14.1

Tennessee is different because their formula was developed through university research and has

1:19.1

actually been awarded a patent, which means the science behind it is truly one of a kind.

1:25.1

Their research shows that this formula is twice as effective as CBD alone,

1:29.9

so you're not just taking CBD and hoping for the best. Tenasi has helped me get to sleep on nights

1:35.9

when my anxiety won't shut off for years now, and I'm not the only one. A lot of listeners have

1:41.4

shared how much it's helped them too, and you can read their reviews right on Tenasi's website.

1:46.5

Their products are T-H-C-free and backed by a 30-day satisfaction guarantee.

1:52.2

So go to Tenasi.com and use the code power to get 25% off your first order.

1:58.6

That's T-A-N-A-S-I-com with the code power for 25% off.

...

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