Soberful

Have you fever felt anxious? Have you ever used alcohol to deal with social anxiety? You are not alone. Anxiety and problems with alcohol go hand in hand. We drink to take the 'edge' off and get through social situations, but the booze just makes everything worse. You may have even experienced a full-blown panic attack. Veronica suffered from extreme anxiety and regular panic attacks throughout her drinking. In this episode, Chip and Veronica look at the relationship between alcohol and anxiety, how getting sober will change it and give you their strategies for dealing with anxiety when it strikes.
 
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Why do people find it so hard to stop drinking? What leads to a relapse? Veronica and Chip answer all these questions and give their opinion on what risky situations to avoid in early recovery.
 
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When we get sober, the world takes it personally. There are four types of characters you may meet when you stop drinking: 'The overnight addiction expert, 'the drunk persuader, the 'moving the goalposts friend,' and the 'fun police.' Chip and Veronica talk you through how each one will approach you, what they will say, and how you can deal with them.
 
To learn more, visit the show notes.

In this episode, Chip and Veronica discuss Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACOA). ACOA's have particular characteristics that they carry into adulthood, particularly in their intimate relationships.
To learn more, visit the show notes.

The Holy Grail of anyone with an alcohol use disorder is moderation. In this episode, Chip and Veronica look at why moderation (or social drinking) is very rarely achievable. We discuss the energy and effort that people put into trying to achieve it. The reason that we struggle with moderation is because of the perception that alcohol can benefit us when the reality is very different.
 
To learn more, visit the show notes.