The Most Important Thinking Shift I Made in Sobriety

Sober Powered: The Neuroscience of Being Sober

Gillian Tietz, MS, CPRC

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

4.9 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 25 July 2025

⏱️ 16 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Quitting drinking doesn’t automatically change how you think, it just removes the numbing. For many of us, that means we’re left with a mind that defaults to worst-case scenarios, criticism, and hopelessness. Sobriety gives you a chance to rewire negative thought patterns, but only if you’re aware of them and actively work to change them. In this episode I discuss the shift from defaulting to negativity, to being able to reframe, see the whole picture, and find a positive spin on things. This has been an essential shift I’ve made that changed everything for me. I’ll also cover 5 ways you can get started because I know this is difficult work. What to listen to next: E170: Here's why the first year is so hard E265: Rewiring the reward system E276: A burst of mental clarity around 60 days sober E269: Running on autopilot mode Work with me: Community & Meetings: Living a Sober Powered Life https://www.soberpowered.com/membership Sober coaching https://www.soberpowered.com/sober-coaching Weekly email: You’ll hear from me on Fridays https://www.soberpowered.com/email Free resources https://www.soberpowered.com/free Courses: The non-negotiable mindset https://www.soberpowered.com/mindset-course Don’t try harder, try different https://www.soberpowered.com/willpower 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

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0:00.0	Quitting drinking doesn't automatically change how you think. It just removes the numbing.
0:06.0	But for many of us, that means that we're left with a mind that defaults to worst-case scenarios,
0:12.0	criticism, and hopelessness. Sobriety gives you a chance to rewire negative thought patterns,
0:19.0	but only if you're aware of them and actively working to change
0:22.7	them. In this episode, I discussed the shift from defaulting to negativity to being able to reframe,
0:30.0	see the whole picture, and find a positive spin on things. This has been an essential shift that I've
0:35.8	made that's changed everything for me.
0:38.0	And I'll also cover five ways that you can get started because I know this is very difficult work.
0:43.6	And before we dig in, I'd like to take a moment to thank my sponsors who made this episode possible.
0:50.5	Rescue Remedy Night for when the thought spiral starts right as your head hits the pillow.
0:56.0	You went from one meme to your ex's holiday photos to Googling,
1:00.0	What time do owls sleep?
1:03.0	And now you're wide awake.
1:05.0	When overthinking takes over, rescue night helps ease your mind naturally, so sleep can take over instead.
1:12.8	Wind down, switch off and reach for rescue night. Available at Boots.
1:21.1	We've grown up surrounded by beauty ideals that promised confidence but often delivered shame.
1:27.0	In a special episode of a millennial mind,
1:29.4	I sat down with Nicola Adams to explore how appearance-based compliments and body talk
1:34.4	shape our self-worth without us realising it.
1:37.3	In partnership with the Dove Self-Esteen project,
1:39.8	we unpack the tools to change the conversation for ourselves and for future generations.
1:44.9	Listen now and download the free body confidence journal atriety, I had a lot of self-loathing.
	...

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