Three Words That Say It All
There’s a phrase I heard years ago that stuck with me:
Cunning, baffling, and powerful.
Three simple words that describe alcohol better than any scientific definition ever could.
Because alcohol isn’t just a substance.
It’s a system.
One that’s designed to trick us, quietly, repeatedly, and thoroughly.
Unless we learn how it works, we’ll keep blaming ourselves for something that was never really about willpower to begin with.
The Illusion of Control
Most people don’t start drinking thinking it will ever be a problem.
We drink to relax. To unwind. To celebrate. To fit in.
And at first, it works. Or at least it feels like it does.
But alcohol doesn’t take over all at once. It works slowly, in the background.
It convinces us we’re in control, even as it begins reshaping what “normal” feels like.
That’s what makes it dangerous. Not just the chemical effects, but the illusion it creates.
It lets you feel like everything is fine, even when the warning signs are stacking up.
Cunning
Alcohol adapts. It hides in plain sight.
It shows up as celebration, as routine, as reward, as relief.
It blends into culture, into habits, into identity.
It trains us to reach for it without thinking, then makes us believe it was our idea.
That isn’t coincidence. That’s design.
Alcohol isn't just a liquid in a glass. It’s a system that integrates itself into how we live, how we cope, and how we connect.
Even once we start questioning it, it shifts shape again. It offers new excuses. New occasions. New reasons to “just have one.”
Baffling
The confusing part is how normal it all feels.
We can know it’s hurting us and still reach for it.
We can wake up full of regret and still do it again.
We can see the damage and still ask ourselves if it’s really “that bad.”
That’s the baffling part.
The gap between what we know and what we do.
The disconnect between our logic and our behavior.
This is where many high performers get stuck. We’re used to solving problems with thought, with action, with effort. But alcohol doesn’t respond to strategy. It lives in the background, shaping decisions without asking for permission.
The result is that we feel conflicted, confused, and often ashamed.
Cognitive Dissonance: The Mental Tug-of-War
Part of that confusion comes from something called cognitive dissonance.
It’s the mental discomfort we feel when our actions don’t align with what we believe or value.
You know alcohol is hurting you, yet you still reach for it.
You tell yourself you’ll stop, yet pour another glass.
That’s dissonance. And it’s exhausting.
It makes you question your own integrity.
It fuels shame and self-doubt. But it’s not a character flaw. It’s a natural human reaction to being caught in a loop that doesn’t match your values.
Recognizing this isn’t about giving yourself a pass. It’s about giving yourself clarity.
Once you can name the dissonance, you stop personalizing it.
You stop asking, “What’s wrong with me?” and start asking, “What am I believing that no longer matches how I want to live?”
That shift is subtle, but it’s powerful.
Powerful
Alcohol doesn’t just affect the body. It rewires the brain.
It increases dopamine release, creating an artificial sense of reward. Over time, the brain adapts by reducing its own natural dopamine production. This means you need more alcohol to feel the same effect. Without it, everything feels flat.
It also interferes with the GABA and glutamate systems, which regulate anxiety, calm, and stimulation. At first, alcohol seems to help you relax. But as tolerance builds, the brain becomes dependent on it just to maintain emotional balance.
It reshapes your stress response.
It distorts your sense of pleasure and satisfaction.
It numbs pain temporarily but amplifies it over time.
And it gradually shuts down your natural coping mechanisms.
Eventually, alcohol becomes the cause of the pain it promises to fix.
But the brain is so deeply wired into the loop that it becomes hard to tell the difference between actual relief and the brief pause between problems.
This is why quitting isn't just about stopping a behavior.
It's about giving your brain the space it needs to reset and allowing your nervous system to remember how to function without artificial interference.
That’s the real power of alcohol. It creates the problem and sells itself as the solution.
Why This Isn’t About Willpower
When you understand the cunning, baffling, and powerful nature of alcohol, you start to see the trap for what it is. It’s not a failure of character. It’s a conditioned loop.
One that feeds on repetition.
One that disguises itself as a solution.
One that punishes you for trying to leave.
If it’s been hard to quit, you’re not broken.
You’re just dealing with something that was built to keep you coming back.
The Turning Point
The real shift happens when we stop asking, “What’s wrong with me?”
And start asking, “What is this substance actually doing to me?”
Because once you see alcohol clearly, the shame starts to fall away.
And with it, the illusion of control.
You stop fighting it in your head.
You stop bargaining with moderation.
You stop blaming yourself for not being able to “just have one.”
And you start building something stronger.
Not out of fear.
Not out of guilt.
But out of clarity.
— Brent