Part 4 of 5: Hidden Mechanisms That Keep Us Drinking
🔗 Navigate the 5 Hidden Mechanisms:
→ Part 1: Mild Withdrawals — The Discomfort We Misread
→ Part 2: The Mental Shortcut — Why We Avoid Internal Conflict
→ Part 3: Overloaded Thinking — When Drinking Thoughts Fill the Room
→ Part 4: Dopamine Spikes — Why a Memory Can Trigger a Craving (you’re here)
→ Part 5: The Social Scam — Why We Believe Alcohol Is Good
→ Recap: You’re Not Weak—You Were Trapped
→ Follow-up: What Actually Works — A Step-by-Step Path Out
Not every craving starts with a feeling. Some start with a memory.
Here we'll look at why even a brief flash of a past experience can create a powerful emotional pull—and how to take back control.
You’re scrolling your feed and see an old photo—your favorite bar, a dinner party, a celebration.
Suddenly, you feel it: that familiar flicker of excitement.
That’s not nostalgia. It’s dopamine.
A split-second rush triggered by nothing more than a memory.
How Dopamine Works
Dopamine is the brain’s way of encouraging us to repeat something it believes is rewarding.
It doesn’t wait until we drink.
It kicks in the moment we anticipate a reward—even if that reward never comes.
This is why a simple thought or image can produce a real, physical reaction.
Why It Feels So Powerful
That little spike of dopamine isn’t just a feeling—it’s a chemical nudge.
It says, “You liked this. You should do it again.”
The problem?
It’s not based on truth. It’s based on repetition.
The more we’ve repeated a behavior in a given context, the more easily the brain links it to reward—even when that reward is long gone.
The Illusion of the Good Time
The dopamine hit is short-lived. But it can feel like proof that drinking really did make us happy.
That’s the illusion.
We’re not missing the drink itself—we’re responding to a conditioned loop.
How to Defuse It
You don’t need to fear these spikes—you just need to recognize them.
Here’s how to disarm their power:
- Notice the cue (a memory, image, or thought)
- Name it: “This is just dopamine talking.”
- Remind yourself of the full picture—not just the highlight reel
When you do this consistently, the brain starts to recalibrate.
It stops chasing the old reward and begins to respond to new ones—like clarity, control, and peace.
→ Next: Part 5 — The Social Scam — Why We Believe Alcohol Is Good