STOP DRINKING ALCOHOL NOW - One of The Most Eye Opening Motivational Videos Ever

Summary

The transcript explores the complex relationship with alcohol, discussing its effects on mood and anxiety, and the challenges of quitting. It highlights alcohol's impact on mitochondria, leading to constant intoxication or hangovers. The speaker shares personal experiences with alcohol dependence and the social pressures that exacerbate it. The summary emphasizes the importance of finding supportive networks for recovery and the healing process, which can take months for the body and brain to reset. It also touches on the societal acceptance of alcohol despite its harmful effects and the cycle of withdrawal and craving that can perpetuate problematic drinking.

Takeaways

• 🍻 Alcohol's Impact: The script discusses how alcohol affects individuals, making them feel more extroverted and reducing anxiety, but also causing harm to the mitochondria and leading to constant drunkenness or hangovers.
• 🚫 Alcohol Dependence: It highlights the struggle of breaking free from alcohol use disorder, emphasizing the rapid escalation from moderate to heavy drinking.
• 👥 Social Influence: The importance of social circles in maintaining sobriety is underscored, with the need to find supportive networks to overcome peer pressure and temptation.
• 🔄 Recovery Process: The script describes the healing process after quitting alcohol, noting that it can take 6 to 12 months for the body and brain to reset, and the surprising negative effects of even moderate drinking.
• 🌱 Personal Growth: The benefits of sobriety, such as increased energy and better sleep, are mentioned, along with the realization of who truly supports one's journey towards a healthier lifestyle.
• 🚫 Alcohol as a Coping Mechanism: The script points out that alcohol is often used to cope with stress and anxiety, despite its short-term benefits leading to long-term consequences.
• 🧠 Alcohol's Effect on the Brain: It explains how alcohol affects neurotransmitters and cognitive function, and how the body treats alcohol as a toxin, triggering a cascade of processes to eliminate it.
• 🍷 The Reality of Alcohol Consumption: The script acknowledges that alcohol is a legal and widely accepted drug that generates billions in revenue, yet is harmful in large quantities and over time.
• 💉 Mitochondrial Disruption: The specific damage alcohol causes to mitochondria is highlighted, explaining that alcohol poisoning is due to mitochondrial impairment.
• 🔄 Withdrawal Symptoms: The inevitability of withdrawal symptoms when quitting alcohol is discussed, detailing how they can perpetuate the cycle of drinking to avoid discomfort.
• 🔍 Understanding Alcohol's Role: The script encourages a deeper understanding of alcohol's role in the body, from its metabolism to its impact on cellular function and overall health.

Q & A

How has the speaker's relationship with alcohol changed over time?

The speaker used to drink heavily multiple times a week, experiencing constant states of drunkenness or hangovers. However, they have since reduced their alcohol intake significantly, barely drinking anymore.

What are the immediate effects of alcohol on an individual according to the script?

Alcohol can make a person more extroverted, enthusiastic, and full of positive emotion while also reducing anxiety. It targets mitochondria, and excessive alcohol consumption can lead to mitochondrial disruption and impairment.

What is the cause of death in cases of alcohol poisoning?

The cause of death in alcohol poisoning is the poisoning of the mitochondria due to alcohol's toxic effects.

Why do people underestimate the impact of alcohol?

People often underestimate the impact of alcohol because its effects can be normalized in social settings, and the immediate positive feelings can overshadow the long-term consequences.

What is the term used to describe the condition of either alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence?

The term used to describe the condition of either alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence is 'alcohol use disorder'.

How does alcohol affect an individual's social circle and sobriety efforts?

Heavy drinking within a social circle can make it difficult to maintain sobriety due to peer pressure, normalization of excessive alcohol consumption, and fear of missing out on social activities.

What is the significance of breaking away from heavy-drinking friend groups for recovery?

Breaking away from heavy-drinking friend groups is crucial for providing a supportive environment necessary for sustained recovery and personal growth.

How long does it take for the body to heal after quitting heavy drinking, according to Mark Manson?

According to Mark Manson, it can take 6 to 12 months for the body's system to entirely reset and for the brain and internal organs to return to their pre-alcohol state.

What are some of the physical and emotional effects experienced after reducing alcohol intake?

After reducing alcohol intake, one may feel a general lack of energy and motivation, experiencing prolonged negative effects that can last for multiple days.

Why do people continue to consume alcohol despite its harmful effects?

People continue to consume alcohol because it provides a net effect on the brain that helps them unwind, celebrate, or cope with stress, especially for those who have a positive response to alcohol in terms of reduced anxiety and increased positive emotions.

How does alcohol affect a person's decision-making and risk assessment?

Alcohol doesn't make people stupid; rather, it impairs their ability to care about the risks they can still understand while intoxicated, leading to increased risk-taking behavior.

What are some of the withdrawal symptoms experienced by heavy drinkers when they quit?

Withdrawal symptoms can include increased stress, diminished mood and feelings of well-being, and changes in neural circuitry that cause cravings and urges to drink more to alleviate discomfort.

How does alcohol affect the body's metabolism and overall health?

Alcohol is treated as a toxin by the body, disrupting the balance of neurotransmitters, impairing cognitive function, compromising the immune system, and placing strain on various organs, leading to a wide range of negative health consequences.

What is the role of mitochondria in the context of alcohol's effects on the body?

Mitochondria are targeted by alcohol, leading to disruption and impairment, which can result in alcohol poisoning and contribute to the negative health effects of alcohol consumption.

Outlines

00:00

🍻 Alcohol's Impact and the Journey to Sobriety

The speaker discusses their evolving relationship with alcohol, noting a significant reduction in consumption. They used to engage in heavy drinking weekly, which led to constant intoxication or hangovers. Alcohol's effects include increased extroversion, positive emotions, and anxiety reduction due to its impact on mitochondria. The speaker acknowledges alcohol's addictive nature and the difficulty of quitting, especially when surrounded by heavy drinkers. They emphasize the importance of finding supportive social networks for recovery and personal growth. The narrative includes the challenges of quitting, such as peer pressure and the normalization of excessive drinking, and the physical and emotional effects of alcohol cessation, including the need for the body and brain to reset, which can take months.

05:00

🧠 Alcohol's Effects on the Brain and Sobriety's Healing Process

This paragraph delves into the immediate and long-term effects of alcohol on the brain and the body. It highlights alcohol's role as a temporary anxiety reducer and mood enhancer, but also its potential to cause harm when consumed excessively. The speaker discusses the surprising negative effects they experienced even after moderate alcohol consumption, such as a lack of energy and motivation lasting for days. The paragraph also addresses the physical healing process after quitting alcohol, which can involve withdrawal symptoms and cravings. It explains that alcohol is metabolized as a toxin, affecting neurotransmitters, cognitive function, and the immune system, leading to a range of health issues. The speaker simplifies the biochemical process, emphasizing the importance of macronutrients for cell function and the disruptive role alcohol plays in this process.

Keywords

💡Alcohol

Alcohol is a psychoactive substance that can induce a state of intoxication with various effects on mood and behavior. In the video, it's discussed as having a profound impact on the individual's social life and mental health, with the speaker reflecting on their own past heavy drinking habits and the subsequent decision to quit.

💡Mitochondria

Mitochondria are the energy-producing structures within cells, essential for cellular metabolism. The script mentions 'mitochondrial disruption' as a consequence of alcohol poisoning, highlighting the physiological damage alcohol can cause at the cellular level.

💡Alcohol Use Disorder

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a medical condition characterized by an inability to control alcohol consumption, leading to distress and harm. The video script refers to this term to describe the formal diagnosis for problematic alcohol use, indicating the severity of alcohol dependence.

💡Social Circle

The social circle refers to an individual's group of friends and acquaintances. The script emphasizes the influence of one's social circle on their drinking habits, noting that heavy drinkers within the circle can hinder efforts to quit alcohol.

💡Sobriety

Sobriety is the state of not being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The video discusses the challenges of maintaining sobriety, especially when surrounded by heavy drinkers, and the importance of finding supportive social networks for recovery.

💡Withdrawal

Withdrawal refers to the physical and psychological symptoms experienced when discontinuing the use of a substance to which one has become dependent. The script describes alcohol withdrawal symptoms, which can be a significant barrier to quitting drinking.

💡Cravings

Cravings are intense desires for a particular substance, in this case, alcohol. The video script explains how cravings can persist even after reducing alcohol intake, affecting the individual's motivation and energy levels.

💡Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the nervous system that transmit signals between nerve cells. The script mentions that alcohol disrupts the balance of neurotransmitters, affecting cognitive function and mood.

💡Metabolism

Metabolism is the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms that allow for growth, energy production, and waste elimination. The video script simplifies the concept to explain how alcohol, unlike other nutrients, is treated as a toxin by the body, affecting cellular metabolism.

💡Macronutrients

Macronutrients are nutrients that the body needs in relatively large amounts for energy and other vital bodily functions, including proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. The script uses the term to contrast with alcohol, which does not provide energy or nutritional value and is instead metabolized as a toxin.

💡Self-medicating

Self-medicating is the act of using substances, such as alcohol, to alleviate symptoms of physical or psychological discomfort without medical supervision. The video script describes how individuals may use alcohol to self-medicate withdrawal symptoms, perpetuating the cycle of problematic drinking.

Highlights

Alcohol's impact on the body includes making one feel more extroverted and enthusiastic while reducing anxiety.

Alcohol poisoning is due to mitochondrial disruption and impairment.

Heavy alcohol consumption can lead to constant states of drunkenness or hangovers.

Alcohol use disorder is characterized by either abuse or dependence on alcohol.

Social circles play a significant role in maintaining sobriety, with peer pressure being a common challenge.

Breaking away from heavy-drinking friend groups is crucial for sustained recovery.

The body can heal from alcohol abuse but requires time, similar to quitting smoking.

Mark Manson, author of 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck', shares his journey of quitting alcohol completely.

It can take 6 to 12 months for the body and brain to reset after heavy drinking.

Cutting back on alcohol can reveal its impact on energy and motivation levels.

Alcohol is a legal drug that is harmful in large quantities and over long periods.

People consume alcohol to unwind or cope with stress, aiming for a relaxed state.

Alcohol does not make people stupid but reduces their concern for risks while intoxicated.

Withdrawal symptoms from alcohol can include increased stress, mood changes, and cravings.

Alcohol is metabolized as a toxin by the body, affecting the entire system.

The liver is responsible for detoxifying alcohol, which can have a significant impact on health.

Understanding the basics of biology and metabolism is key to grasping why cells malfunction due to alcohol.

Alcohol disrupts the balance of macronutrients and energy production in the body.

Transcripts

talk to me about your relationship with

alcohol and how it's changed I pretty

much barely drink anymore I used to

drink numerous times per week there was

always at least one extremely heavy

Blowout at the weekend what is going on

here when you're having 15 or 20 drinks

a week you're pretty much constantly in

a state of being either drunk or

hungover if you really like alcohol it

does two things to you it makes you more

extroverted and enthusiastic and more

full of positive emotion and the second

thing it does is reduce anxiety alcohol

targets mitochondria alcohol poisoning

is due to mitochondrial disruption and

impairment there were times I was like

man I could never be a sober person it

was just alcohol for me always if you

took something fun alcohol made it more

fun and if you took something boring it

made it less boring so when somebody

dies of alcohol poisoning the cause of

death is poisoning the mitochondria the

one thing that always knocks me off

track the most is always alcohol most

people are drastically underestimating

its impact right now as we speak

meets the criteria for either alcohol

abuse or alcohol dependence which we now

call alcohol use disorder we were on to

like two or three glasses a day then

half a bottle and it it just went really

fast the alcohol is it's hell of a it's

a hell of a drug man when it comes to

quitting drinking one of the challenges

many people face is the influence of

their Social Circle if someone's friend

group consists of heavy drinkers it can

make it incredibly difficult to maintain

sobriety the peer pressure normalization

of excessive alcohol consumption and

fear of missing out on social activities

can create a constant Temptation and

undermine an individual's efforts to

quit breaking away from such friend

groups or finding new supportive social

networks becomes crucial in providing

the necessary environment for sustained

recovery and personal growth if you're

trying to get your life together and

your friends get in the way that's

actually real useful for you because

you've now identified who your friends

aren't and you might think well I can't

give them up it's like oh yes you can

and not only can you you should and it

would be better for them because if

they're aim down and they want you going

down with them there's nothing good

about what's happening to them and

there's certainly nothing good about

that for you similar to quitting smoking

the body can heal but it takes time in

this next clip Mark Manson author of The

subtle art of not giving a

addresses his relationship with alcohol

despite being a heavy drinker for most

of his life he made the decision to quit

completely while attempting to moderate

his alcohol intake Mark experienced

prolonged negative effects feeling

physically and emotionally drained

effects that are common after blackout

night but were surprising to him after a

simple glass of wine or two with dinner

you know if you've been a heavy drinker

for multiple years it can take 6 to 12

months for the out for your system to

actually entirely reset for your brain

to go back to the way it was your

internal organs to go back to the way

they were and I was like God damn I've

been doing this

basically since I was like 18 half my

life almost two decades yeah it's

incredible it's incredible it was I'd

say within a few weeks waking up with

more energy sleeping like a baby you

know and one of the things you know I

had cut back quite a bit before I quit

completely I'd say I'd cut back to

drinking maybe two three times a month

and when I drank it was like just two or

three glasses of wine and it's funny

like something I feel like something you

notice when you cut back that you don't

notice when you keep drinking heavily

like when you drink heavily you just

expect to feel like so when you

feel like you're like oh yeah well

of course I drank I drank a lot but when

you drink very moderately

it actually showed me how much it

affects you like I would go out and have

two glasses of wine with dinner

and Not only would I feel

maybe 20 percent worse the next day I

would feel 10 percent worse the day

after that and that was shocking to me I

was like whoa this is actually it's not

about hangovers it's about just general

lack of energy and motivation on a

day-to-day basis and it lasts for

multiple days there's no hiding the fact

that alcohol is a drug it's a legal drug

accepted by society that breaks in

billions of dollars a year it's also

well known that alcohol is harmful

especially in large quantities and over

long periods of time why do millions of

people continue consuming a poisonous

substance for the most part people

consume alcohol in order to get the net

effect on the brain the overwhelming

majority of people who consume alcohol

that's to help unwind or you know

celebrate the end of a day or it's hard

to deal with the stress at the end of

the day it's usually a mechanism to take

you out of a less ideal place and bring

you into a more relaxed ideal place and

alcohol really is a good drug for are

coping with anxiety that's why people

use it so it does too if you if you

really like alcohol it does it does two

things to you it makes you more

extroverted and enthusiastic well you're

on the ascending limb of the blood

alcohol curve which is why you have to

keep drinking once you start because if

you plateau that goes away so you got to

keep drinking okay so that's one thing

it makes you more enthusiastic and and

more full of positive emotion and the

second thing it does is reduce anxiety

yeah and so if you are a bit more

socially anxious and you also have that

positive response to alcohol which

everyone doesn't have by the way then

it's a great drug but the problem is

it's well

it's a great drug for the moment right

right there's there's consequences yeah

this comes when it's not great well it

also the alcohol is an interesting drug

because it it actually doesn't make

people stupid this has been tested like

alcohol people who are drunk will take

far more risk and you might say well

that's because they're too stupid to

understand the risk it's like no they're

not if you ask them about the risk when

they're drunk they can outline it

perfectly what it stops them from doing

is caring about the risk during the

healing process of sobriety withdrawals

are inevitable for people that

maintained a heavy Reliance on alcohol

symptoms vary and the intensity can

often make it harder for some people to

stick with it as with smoking those

Cravings are powerful and can often push

people back to substance abuse to escape

from the discomfort of withdrawal

increased stress when people are not

drinking diminished mood and feelings of

well-being when people are not drinking

and changes in the neural circuitry that

cause people to drink even more in order

to get just back to Baseline before they

ever started drinking in the first place

you feel uncomfortable you feel

distressed you anxious and distressed

and you basically start noticing you

have more cravings and urges to go back

to drinking more alcohol

to make these signs and symptoms

get Milder

so basically you're self-medicating and

kind of perpetuating the cycle because

you don't want to feel this way and you

don't want to feel this discomfort from

alcohol withdrawal now in milder cases

these mild signs and symptoms may go

away in one to two days in more moderate

cases it could be three to five days

okay but bottom line is it's these

withdrawal symptoms even though they're

mild which may continue to perpetuate

somebody's drinking because they say I

don't want to feel this way and I notice

that when I start drinking it kind of

goes away and it may just kind of

continue the cycle of problematic

drinking alcohol unlike other nutrients

cannot be efficiently metabolized by the

human body to extract energy instead the

body treats alcohol as a toxin

triggering a Cascade of processes to

eliminate it from the moment alcohol

enters the bloodstream it affects not

only the liver but also the entire body

system it disrupts the balance of

neurotransmitters impairs cognitive

function compromises the immune system

and places strain on various organs

leading to a wide range of negative

Health consequences that extend far

beyond the liver when you take a step

back when you look at the big picture of

Life cells in the human body are all

there to perform a function but they all

need nutrients they need nutrients to

create replace the parts that need to be

replaced without nutrients

you're dead in order to understand

why cells in the human brain or body

malfunction

we have to go all the way

to the basics of biology

which is every living cell at the end of

the day depends on metabolism

or energy

and it's the only way to connect the

dots this is a gross oversimplification

of nutritional biochemistry essentially

we can look at most of at least macro

nutrition not micronutrition but macro

nutrition in other words the things that

we consume that give us energy and there

are three primary sources of

macronutrients there are protein fats

and carbs and the challenge with ethanol

or alcohol is that when alcohol

comes into our nutritional equation

there's nowhere for it to go the liver

is responsible for detoxifying the

alcohol that we ingest could it really

be could it really just be that the last

thing to go is the alcohol that it could

be that impactful

I dare you to try

[Music]

[Music]