What If Sobriety Is Only the Beginning?
THE MYTH OF WILLPOWER
Addiction is usually treated like a character flaw. Try harder. Be stronger. This conversation calls that out as incomplete. Addiction shows up when the brain and body are depleted and no one repairs the system. Lori, sober nearly 30 years, explains why early sobriety felt flat and fragile until she addressed nutrition and brain chemistry. Once she fed her brain, sobriety stopped feeling like survival mode.
LORI’S TURNING POINT
Lori’s story starts where many do. Teen drinking that felt normal. Blackouts that escalated quietly. Motherhood layered on top of chaos. Treatment, relapse, and suicidal lows followed. Relief did not come from abstinence alone. It came when she added B vitamins, fish oil, protein, and a slower pace of life. She kept the 12 steps. She added biology. That combination finally held.
WHY SOBER CAN STILL FEEL MISERABLE
We revisit Bill Wilson and his decade-long depression after getting sober. His doctor, Abram Hoffer, used high-dose niacin to lift it. That history matters. It showed that spirituality without biochemical support can leave people stuck. Lori builds on this with research from Kenneth Blum on Reward Deficiency Syndrome. Some brains struggle to release dopamine efficiently. When reward is low, the brain hunts for relief anywhere it can find it.
SWITCHING ADDICTIONS EXPLAINED
Take away alcohol and the hunt does not stop. It just shifts. Sugar, caffeine, nicotine, scrolling, shopping. This explains why recovery spaces often revolve around cake, coffee, and cigarettes. Without restoring dopamine balance, cravings stay loud. When the brain is supported, cravings calm down.
FOOD AS RECOVERY STRATEGY
Nutrition is not a side note. Skipped meals and sugar spikes create anxiety, irritability, and brain fog. Lori teaches protein-forward meals, steady complex carbs, healthy fats, and minerals to stabilize blood sugar and the nervous system. Amino acids target neurotransmitters directly. Tyrosine and phenylalanine support dopamine. Tryptophan or 5-HTP support serotonin. Add magnesium, zinc, omega-3s, and B-complex so the system can function. The goal is dopamine homeostasis so life feels rewarding again.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR KIDS
Many kids labeled with ADHD show classic low blood sugar symptoms. Restlessness. Poor focus. Mood swings. Ultra-processed school food makes it worse. Lori urges early intervention with protein-rich meals, micronutrients, and genetic awareness when possible. Genes matter, but environment decides how strongly they express. Feed the system early and risk drops.
WHY REHAB OFTEN FALLS SHORT
Many rehab environments keep dopamine dysregulated. Sugar vending machines. Endless coffee. Cigarettes encouraged. Trauma work layered on top of a depleted brain. Expecting clarity in that state is unrealistic. Lori’s Missing Link approach stabilizes the body first so therapy and spiritual work can actually land. People are not broken. They are depleted.
A PRACTICAL RESET
If sobriety feels exhausting, start with basics. Build meals around protein. Restore minerals. Add omega-3s. Explore targeted amino acids with guidance. Track sleep, stress, and screen time like you track triggers. Pair this with community and spiritual grounding.
