Why Is It So Hard To Drink Less Alcohol?

Written by: Erik Dmitriy Palatnik, Executive Contributor

Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.

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Let's recall our plans for the year at the beginning of last year. Someone planned to lead a healthier lifestyle. Someone intended to engage in more sports. And someone else, perhaps, wanted to drink less alcohol. And now, looking back, we notice that it didn't work out. Again? There are plenty of reasons why it didn't work out last year and a strong desire and confidence that it will definitely be different this time! But if you haven't been able to do it for years, it's not about willpower or circumstances. It's about how our brain is wired.

Habits – effective and safe

Our brain wants to be efficient. It turns out that 95% of our decisions are made by our unconscious mind, automatically. And all seemingly rational "justifications" for why today and right now it's okay to make an exception and have a glass of wine – they happen just to cloud our judgement and continue working on autopilot, saving energy.

Our brain also wants us to be safe, and old habits seem safe. We choose what is familiar (drinking), even though we understand that it is harmful to our health, and the next morning we will feel awful. So what's the matter? How does it happen?

Our brain has a multitude of neural connections, among which there are those that formed in childhood and are now reactivated automatically in certain life situations. Some of them are protective mechanisms and lead to seemingly irrational and uncontrollable actions.

Our brain associates alcohol with a good feeling and demands more

Our brain has a multitude of neural connections, among which there are those that formed in childhood and are now reactivated automatically in certain life situations. Some of them are protective mechanisms and lead to seemingly irrational and uncontrollable actions.

Let's take an example: Angelika, a 20-year-old girl, feels shy and awkward in large gatherings and thinks there's something wrong with her, she thinks people find her uninteresting. This lack of self-confidence originated in childhood because she wasn't praised enough and was excessively criticised, even though she always tried hard and consistently received top grades. Similarly, a person's lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem can be caused if they didn't receive enough love and closeness as a child, or weren't allowed to express themselves adequately. So, there's no need for any tragic traumatic events. Angelika developed a defence mechanism: not to initiate conversations with people. This allows her to remain unnoticed and, therefore, feel safe.

Being at a party and drinking alcohol, Angelika notices how her lack of self-confidence disappears. She feels great. She becomes cheerful and confidently engages in conversations with strangers!

Her brain memorises this sequence of events, and if repeated several times, it automatically associates alcohol with a good feeling and, over time, demands more of it.

The 3 mechanisms

Behind this demand, 3 mechanisms are at play:

1. Similar to Pavlov's dogs a habit is developing: The trigger is the thought "Why not have a drink?" and the environment conducive to drinking. Without much thought (automation, a necessary condition for a habit), we automatically reach for the glass and experience pleasure (release of dopamine in the brain). This is natural.

2. The brain avoids pain (our discomfort from being sober) and seeks pleasure (dopamine). This is normal.

3. Whenever dopamine is involved, we deal with addiction and the desire for more, as the brain adapts to artificially elevated dopamine levels and reduces the number of receptors in the reward system. Also, because the brain thinks that without the familiar dopamine, we will die. That's exactly how it feels. "Give me more!" – it screams. This is biology.

So all 3 points are natural, moreover, they are the result of evolution. Our brain is efficient in this way. The first point: The brain sends everything it has learned to its back part – the "animal brain" (or "reptilian brain" in the MacLean model) and performs these actions automatically. The second and third points occur because our brain "thinks" it is saving us – completely without our participation.

"Wait a minute!" – we say, "Not without my involvement! I have willpower."

And here comes the most unexpected surprise!

When, at a party, we decisively refuse the usual glass of wine while everything around invites us to drink, on one hand, we feel the familiar discomfort (being sober). But in addition to this familiar discomfort, we now experience discomfort from having to endure and resist the desire and temptation to drink! This second discomfort becomes stronger and stronger over time. And when, eventually, we give in and drink that unfortunate glass of wine, we get a dose of dopamine that immediately relieves us of tension. And there you go! A new neural connection is formed: "When I feel bad, alcohol helps."

Did you notice?

The 1st neural connection:

I want to have fun – I drink alcohol, it becomes fun. The 2nd neural connection:

I'm anxious because I can't resist drinking, it's hard to resist the temptation – I drink alcohol, the unpleasant feeling goes away.

So, the solution to the "Alcohol" problem is alcohol itself

If you do this several times, a new, even more unpleasant habit will emerge: soothing your conscience, common sense, and worries about something being wrong with the words: "Oh, come on, what's so bad about one glass?" and drowning unwanted emotions. The next day, in addition to the usual physical hangover, there will be a sense of losing control over oneself and the situation. Conscience will start gnawing, and it will seem like we have weak willpower and that we are betraying ourselves. We scold ourselves for lack of strength and engage in an unpleasant internal dialogue.

We need to physically change our brain

Let's go back to our goals for the year. If we truly want to achieve what we've planned, we'll need to establish new neural connections, meaning physically change our brain.

Good News No. 1: It's possible! Pavlov's dogs were successfully conditioned not to salivate when a light bulb was turned on. To achieve this, the light bulb was repeatedly turned on without presenting food.

Good News No. 2: Now that we understand how it all works, it's time to truly grasp that there is no blame in this. Not in the desire to drink, not in the failure of willpower. This, in turn, means that if we slip, there's no need to blame ourselves.

What to do?

Now, let's get to the most interesting part. What to do? If not through willpower, then how else can we prevent ourselves from drinking when tempting drinks are in front of us?

Important note: What is written here applies to people without a chemical dependence on alcohol. Those who function in society and at work without drinking but have noticed that they can't always control their alcohol consumption.

We can leverage our prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that allows us to reflect on our actions and plan them. We can consciously think about not wanting to drink.

Every time we consider drinking, we can ask ourselves: "Why am I drinking right now? What am I trying to ease? What am I trying to hide from?" and decide if we genuinely want it.

Additionally, we can plan our drinking. Plan the amount consumed and, calmly and without guilt (during the party and the next day!), enjoy the effects of alcohol. This way, we make the decision-making process easier in the moment. When we try to resist spontaneous cravings, the "animal brain" always wins sooner or later.

Our brain is much more flexible than previously believed. It's about neuroplasticity, which allows our brain to change even in adulthood. To establish a new habit (like drinking less), it's necessary to repeat the desired behaviour a sufficient number of times, creating new neural connections.

Wishing everyone great well-planned celebrations!

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Read more from Erik!

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Erik Dmitriy Palatnik, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine

Erik Dmitriy Palatnik is a renowned psychotherapeutic coach and hypnotherapist specialising in inner child work. He helps individuals overcome challenges like low self-esteem, social anxiety and self-sabotage by addressing childhood traumas and shifting their mindset towards a fulfilling future. Erik's own journey intertwines gender and identity reformation, which gives him a deep understanding and empathy and helps him to create a safe space for personal growth. His mission to help individuals realise their inner potential resonates in a world seeking authentic connection and self-expression. With fluency in English, German, and Russian, he effortlessly connects with individuals from diverse backgrounds.