Alcohol and Cortisol: Extra Stress and Extra Cravings (E249)

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Stress is a main reason many of us drink and it’s a big trigger for relapse after getting sober. In this episode you’ll learn all about cortisol- how it’s released, how chronic stress and heavy drinking disrupt our stress response, and when your stress response system may recover in sobriety. I’ll explain what happens with cortisol in withdrawal, in early sobriety, and give you a timeline for when this should normalize. 

What to listen to next:

E204: can anyone get addicted to alcohol?

E199: frustration tolerance

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Cite:

Gillian Tietz. Alcohol and Cortisol: Extra Stress and Extra Cravings (E249). Sober Powered. 2024

Please respect my intellectual property and properly credit me if you share my work.

Sources

1. Dunne, N. HPA axis function in alcohol use disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Addiction Neuroscience. 2023

2. Zimmermann, U., Spring, K., Kunz-Ebrecht, S. et al. Effect of Ethanol on Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal System Response to Psychosocial Stress in Sons of Alcohol-Dependent Fathers. Neuropsychopharmacol 2004

3. Pomrenze MB, Fetterly TL, Winder DG, Messing RO. The Corticotropin Releasing Factor Receptor 1 in Alcohol Use Disorder: Still a Valid Drug Target?. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2017