Happy Monday ✨
I hope you are well and you had a wonderful weekend 😊
As mentioned in my post on May 1st, I am switching things up for Mental Health Awareness Month by sharing podcast episodes that have been helpful in my journey towards mental fitness. I will share four episodes across the four Mondays in May for Mental Health Monday, and my intention is that they help you as much as they have helped me.
First up was an episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast that introduced me to Dr. Gabor Maté, and made me cry. The next podcast episode was from On Purpose with Jay Shetty, and last week I switched things up (yet again) by sharing Dr. Brené Brown’s TED Talk The Power of Vulnerability, rather than sharing a podcast episode.
I am a big believer in saving the best for last, and these podcast episodes are no exception as I have absofuckinglutely saved the best for last 🙂↕️
As mentioned in 38½ Years Young, I started listening to podcasts in earnest in July last year. I was doing Dry July and wanted to immerse myself in sober content to really get me into it. One of the first podcasts I listened to was Dr. Andrew Huberman’s What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain & Health. To say that podcast was life-changing would be underselling it.
I was not much of a podcast person before then, and when I saw it was just over two hours long, I fully expected to listen in chunks. If I struggle to sit through movies of that length, a podcast seemed even less likely to hold my attention for two full hours. Two hours?? Bruh!! I assumed I would get through it in 20 – 30 minute stretches over a few days. Instead, I pressed play and never stopped. Within minutes I was hooked, and before I knew it two hours had flown by and the episode was over.
I found myself stunned every few minutes as I was mostly unaware of the physiological effects that drinking alcohol has on the brain and body at different levels of consumption and over time. Learning how alcohol consumption of different amounts impacts inflammation, stress, neurodegeneration, and cancer risk and negatively impacts the gut microbiome, brain thickness, hormone balance, mood and feelings of motivation was a great motivator for Dry July 😅
The main reason I have chosen to end my Mental Health Awareness Month podcast episodes with this Huberman one is because in the seven months since my last drink, I have learned that many people do not understand that alcohol is a central nervous system depressant that alters brain chemistry. While it initially creates feelings of relaxation by boosting mood-enhancing chemicals, this effect is temporary. Many individuals “self-medicate” by using alcohol to numb the symptoms of stress, trauma, or pre-existing mental health conditions. However, as the alcohol wears off, the brain experiences a rebound effect, which often worsens anxiety, irritability, and depressive symptoms. This creates a dangerous feedback loop that can lead to alcohol dependency. Alcohol use and mental health disorders frequently happen together, a phenomenon known as a co-occurring disorder or dual diagnosis. Research shows that individuals with mental health conditions are more likely to engage in risky drinking.
On the other hand, you do not need to be struggling with alcohol use or mental health challenges to find value in this episode. Even occasional or moderate drinkers can benefit from understanding what alcohol does to the body, brain, and overall health. Not because you necessarily need or want to change your drinking habits, but because knowledge is powerful, and you never know when or how that understanding may become meaningful or useful later in life.
Lwile the Leo 