Worried About Your Health in Sobriety? Here’s How Your Body Heals After Drinking
A step-by-step breakdown of how your body heals after alcohol, from your liver to your heart to your gut.
I know the fear you feel when you quit drinking and suddenly start paying attention to every little twinge in your body.
You wonder:
Did I mess up my liver for good?
Is this brain fog normal?
What if I’ve already done permanent damage?
And if you’re anything like most people in recovery, you might have spent years avoiding the doctor, hiding your drinking, and ignoring the warning signs.
That means your health anxiety isn’t just physical — it’s deeply emotional.
You’re carrying around shame, guilt, and fear, wondering if your past choices have caught up with you.
But here’s the truth: your body is incredibly resilient. And healing is happening — even if you can’t feel it yet.
In this episode of the Addiction Unlimited Podcast, I’m walking you through what’s really going on inside your body after you stop drinking. We’ll look at how alcohol impacts your liver, brain, heart, and gut — and what recovery looks like from the inside out.
You’ll also learn how to spot the difference between real health issues and the fear-based spirals that come from anxiety. I’ll give you simple, actionable tools to calm your nervous system, trust your body again, and stop Googling symptoms at 2 a.m.
Because your recovery deserves more than panic and guesswork — it deserves clarity, confidence, and peace of mind.
In this episode, I share:
5:45 — What “health anxiety in sobriety” is and why it hits so hard
10:12 — How your liver, brain, and heart really respond when you stop drinking
14:18 — Why your gut is your “second brain” and how food affects your healing
20:33 — What’s normal (and not) when it comes to stomach issues and recovery
24:10 — Tools to manage fear without spiraling into Google
28:05 — How to stop letting fear run the show and build real coping skills
30:50 — Why you’re not broken — your body is healing
If you’ve been living in a constant state of “What if it’s too late?” this episode is going to give you hope, knowledge, and peace of mind.
🔗 Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:
👉 Book a free call with me to get serious about your recovery and build a plan that actually works
Quitting Drinking & Post-Acute Withdrawal
5 Signs You’re Dealing With PAWS
The Science of Sobriety & How to Feel Better Faster
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39:22
Grief in Sobriety: Saying Goodbye to Your ‘Best Frenemy’
Why do we miss alcohol—even when we know it’s destroying us?
In this raw and powerful episode, I’m unpacking the real reason it feels like grief when you quit drinking. We’ll look at how alcohol grooms you like a toxic partner, hijacks your identity like a cult, and lingers in your brain like a sleeping bear that’s always ready to wake up.
This isn’t just about quitting a habit—it’s about breaking up with a manipulative force that’s been running your life. And when you understand why it hurts so much to let it go, you’ll finally be able to reclaim your peace, your power, and your self-trust.
💥 In this episode, we’ll cover:
What makes alcohol feel like a “best frenemy”
The grooming phase: when drinking felt fun, light, and helpful
How alcohol rewires your brain and conditions emotional dependency
The cult-like takeover of your identity and social life
What it really means to “poke the bear” in sobriety
5 actionable ways to rebuild trust and keep the bear asleep
Why you’re not crazy for missing it—and how grief is actually a sign of healing
📥 Free Resource: Goodbye, Alcohol Healing Journal
Download your free guided journal prompts to help you process the grief of quitting drinking and reconnect with your true self.
✅ Process the emotional layers of letting go✅ Understand what alcohol really gave you—and what it took✅ Start journaling with purpose, power, and peace
🔗 Links + Resources:
✨ Book a FREE coaching call with me → addictionunlimited.com/call
🔥 Another episode: Grieving the Loss of Alcohol
💛 Join the community → Facebook Group
📱 Follow me on Instagram → @addictionunlimited
⏱️ Timestamps – Episode #380: Grief in Sobriety: Saying Goodbye to Your ‘Best Frenemy’
00:00 – Why You Miss Alcohol (Even When It’s Hurting You)Exploring the emotional confusion of quitting drinking and why it feels like grief.
01:30 – What No One Tells You About Early SobrietyAngela shares the emotional chaos of missing alcohol and how it impacts your identity.
03:15 – How Alcohol Slowly Takes Over Your LifeThe grooming phase: how drinking goes from social fun to emotional dependency.
06:10 – The Science of Craving: How Alcohol Hijacks Your BrainLearn how alcohol rewires your reward system and trains your brain to believe you need it.
08:25 – When Alcohol Becomes Your IdentityFrom “fun wine girl” to isolation—how alcohol slowly shapes how you see yourself and your social life.
11:40 – Grieving the Lie: The Emotional Breakup with AlcoholWhy quitting feels like losing a part of yourself—and how to start healing emotionally.
13:00 – The Bear Analogy: Understanding the Addicted BrainAngela’s signature tool to explain relapse triggers and how to protect your progress.
15:45 – 5 Triggers That Wake the Bear (and What to Do Instead)Clear, actionable tools to stay grounded in recovery and stop sabotaging your success.
19:30 – Coaching That Helps You Go DeeperHow personalized support can take you from surviving sobriety to building a life you love.
21:00 – Free Recovery Resource: Goodbye, Alcohol Healing JournalGrab the journal prompts that help you unpack your grief and stay emotionally clear.
💬 If this episode hit home…
Please share it with someone who needs to hear it.
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21:49
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21:49
The Identity Crisis No One Talks About in Sobriety
You quit drinking to feel better — and you do. But you also feel... a little lost.
Your old life doesn’t quite fit, and the new one still feels unfamiliar.
Welcome to the identity crisis no one warned you about.
In this episode, we’re talking about what really happens after you get sober — the part beyond the cravings and the willpower. Because when alcohol is no longer part of your life, it takes your old routines, confidence, and identity with it.
If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t even recognize myself anymore…” this episode is for you.
You’ll learn:
Why feeling disconnected is actually a normal part of early sobriety
The 3 phases of the identity shift that every sober woman goes through
How to get out of the “in between” phase and build a life that actually feels aligned
Plus, I’ll give you practical tools and journal prompts to help you reconnect with who you really are — without alcohol.
This isn’t just about staying sober — it’s about becoming the person you were always meant to be.
🔗 Links Mentioned in This Episode
🎧 Episode #29 with Jenn Kautsch (Sober Sis):
https://addictionunlimited.com/jenn-kautsch/
📞 Is Angela the Right Coach for You? Book a Call Here:
https://addictionunlimited.com/call
💬 Join the Free Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited
🛏️ Cozy Earth – Save 40% with Code ANGELA:
https://cozyearth.com
🔥 Highlights & Time Stamps
[00:00] Why sobriety brings an unexpected identity crisis
[03:15] My personal story: Letting go of the bar scene and finding new purpose
[09:40] Phase 1 – The Drift: Why everything feels “off” even after you quit
[15:22] Phase 2 – The Discomfort: When the old life fades, but the new one isn’t clear yet
[21:15] Mid-roll ad: Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheets — sleep cooler, feel better
[23:20] Phase 3 – The Becoming: How to stop surviving and start becoming the woman you want to be
[28:40] 4 practical tools to support your identity shift this week
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20:05
Should I Moderate or Quit?
If you’ve been telling yourself, “I don’t think I need to quit completely—maybe I can just cut back…”
This episode is for you.
I’m sharing a story about a client—let’s call her Sarah—who had all the drinking “rules”:
✅only on weekends
✅never before 5 p.m.
✅only wine
And still… every Monday, she felt ashamed.
Not because she got blackout drunk—but because she broke yet another promise to herself.
That’s when it hit me—what Sarah really wanted wasn’t moderation.
She wanted to drink without consequences.
And that’s the trap.
Because moderation feels like control… but it’s actually just a delay tactic.
One that keeps you stuck, confused, and constantly negotiating with something you’ve already lost control of.
In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on:
Why moderation seems safer but quietly steals your progress
What’s really happening when you keep trying to “regain control”
The emotional truth that no one’s saying out loud
And my 3-question Clarity Framework to help you figure out your next step
This isn’t just information—it’s a turning point.
And if you’ve been white-knuckling the moderation loop, trying to avoid quitting altogether, it’s time for some real relief.
You’re not doing anything 'wrong', you’re just tired from trying to fix something that can’t be fixed.
🔗 Links & Resources:
💥 Join the Dry July Coaching Challenge → https://www.facebook.com/groups/addictionunlimited
🎧 Listen to “Relief, Not Relapse” (Episode 376) → addictionunlimited.com/376
🔥Want private coaching? Book a FREE call for next steps: addictionunlimited.com/call
If this episode cracked something open for you, “Relief Not Relapse” is the perfect follow-up—especially if you're caught in the on-again, off-again loop. Go listen when you're done here!
⏱️ Episode Timestamps:
0:00 – IntroSarah’s story, the trap of moderation, and why this episode is your turning point.
1:20 – Welcome + What We’re Talking About TodayWhy this conversation matters, what moderation really represents, and what you’ll learn.
2:30 – Segment 1: The Moderation MindsetWhy moderation feels safer, how it keeps you stuck, and the emotional bait-and-switch no one talks about.
7:45 – Segment 2: The Dangerous Truth About ModerationThe real-life costs of trying to moderate, the risks you're inviting, and the moment that could change everything.
11:30 – Segment 3: The Clarity FrameworkThree powerful questions to get honest about your next step (and stop spinning in the maybe).
14:30 – Your Takeaway + InvitationWhat to remember from this episode, where to get your Clarity Questions, and how to take the next step with support.
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16:06
Sober Self-Care for Moms Who Feel Like They’re Drowning
If wine feels like the only way you can get through dinner, laundry, or one more bedtime meltdown—this episode is for you.
In this powerful solo episode, I’m diving deep into the emotional truth behind mommy wine culture and why it’s not about the alcohol—it’s about the overwhelm, burnout, and emotional depletion so many moms are silently carrying.
We’re breaking down:
Why quantity doesn’t define a drinking problem—intention does
The emotional load motherhood places on women (and what alcohol pretends to fix)
3 real-life sober self-care tools that actually work when you're overstimulated and exhausted
How to shift from using alcohol as a coping mechanism to building a self-support system that lasts
Whether you’re already sober, sober-curious, or just tired of feeling like wine is your only relief—you’ll leave this episode feeling seen, supported, and empowered.
🔗 Resources & Mentions:
🎧 Episode with Michelle Smith on Mommy Wine Culture
🛌 This episode is sponsored by Cozy Earth – use code ANGELA at cozyearth.com for 40% off cooling sheets, loungewear, and more.
📓 Learn more about private coaching at addictionunlimited.com/call
🔧 In This Episode:
[03:12] Why wine feels like emotional fuel—not just a treat
[08:45] “Am I drinking too much?” The real question to ask
[13:01] The One-Song Reset: a powerful nervous system hack
[16:17] Grounding techniques for overwhelmed moms
[20:42] Reclaiming your energy without the glass of wine
[26:05] The truth about emotional addiction (and how to break it)
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Are you ready to ditch daily drinking, reclaim your confidence, and create a life of freedom? Each week, Angela combines no-nonsense advice, personal stories, and science-backed strategies to tackle the challenges of sobriety. Angela Pugh is a globally-ranked Life Coach and podcast host, a professional Interventionist, and entrepreneur with more than 18 years of personal sobriety, helping people rebuild their lives since 2008. From navigating relationships to managing triggers, you’ll discover practical tools, empowering insights, and real-world solutions to thrive in sobriety. It’s time to stop feeling stuck and start feeling unlimited. Listen now for the inspiration, tools, and support you need to live a sober, confident, and happy life.
Ireland