What Alcohol Does to Your Brain: Anxiety, Hangxiety & Sobriety with Millie Gooch

Why can alcohol make you feel relaxed in the moment — but anxious, overwhelmed and full of regret the next day?

Millie Gooch, founder of Sober Girl Society and author of Hangxiety, joins Dave for a fascinating conversation about what alcohol actually does to the brain and why drinking can make many of the things we use it to escape even worse.

Millie shares her own journey from heavy binge drinking and blackouts to more than eight years alcohol-free, and explains the science behind the anxiety that can follow a night of drinking — often called “hangxiety.”

They explore how alcohol affects GABA and glutamate in the brain, why it can temporarily quiet a busy mind, and why anxiety can come roaring back as alcohol wears off.

Millie and Dave also discuss ADHD, autism and neurodivergence; blackouts and overthinking; genetics and addiction; shame and self-compassion; emotional sobriety; and why stopping drinking doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll immediately feel amazing.

They also explore an important question: What if the thing you’re using alcohol to fix is actually the thing alcohol is making worse?

Whether you’re sober, sober curious, questioning your drinking or simply interested in the relationship between alcohol and mental health, this conversation offers a science-backed look at why we drink, what alcohol does to the brain, and what can change when we remove it.

Brand New Book From Millie On Amazon: Hangxiety: How Alcohol Messes with Your Mind: https://sobergirlsociety.com/pages/hangxiety-linksSubscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@soberdaveonefortheroad

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