New Study Shows How Alcohol Literally Rewires Your Brain
Why Quitting (and Moderating!) Feels So Hard—And What You Can Do About It
We hear a lot about the risks of alcohol—how it’s been classified as a Class 1 carcinogen and linked to seven different types of cancer. It’s also highly addictive, which is why the U.S. Surgeon General is advocating for warning labels. More women in their 30s and 40s are needing liver transplants than ever before, and in 2022, more than 2,700 women in the UK died from alcohol-related liver disease—the highest number on record. These numbers have been rising steadily over the past 20 years, with a 31% increase since 2019.
I know these facts can feel overwhelming, but when I was stuck in the drinking cycle, hearing stats like this would have only made me feel ashamed of my drinking and definitely wouldn’t have helped me stop.
Here’s why….
Alcohol had literally hijacked my brain. And no amount of scary news headlines was going to rewire it.
I had to spend conscious effort changing the way I was thinking so I could change my drinking. Beyond all the awful physical effects, alcohol actually changes the way your brain works, making it even harder to cut back or stop drinking altogether.
Alcohol Doesn’t Just Damage Your Body—It Rewires Your Brain
A new study out of Texas A&M University breaks it down: long-term alcohol use disrupts cognitive flexibility, which is your brain’s ability to adapt, learn, and change.
Translation? The more you drink, the harder it becomes to break the habit. This isn't just about willpower—it’s because alcohol actually changes the way your brain functions, reinforcing behaviors that keep you reaching for another glass.
What’s Happening in Your Brain?
Here’s what the new study explains. A group of brain cells called cholinergic interneurons (CINs) help regulate dopamine—the chemical that controls learning, motivation, and habit formation. Think of CINs like traffic lights, helping your brain decide when to stop, go, or switch gears. They do this through a burst of activity to process new information, followed by a pause to reset.
Alcohol messes up this rhythm. Instead of a clear stop-and-go signal, it throws CINs into chaos, making it harder for your brain to switch between tasks, unlearn old patterns, and make new decisions. This explains why long-term drinkers find it so tough to break the habit—their brain’s ability to shift and adapt has been compromised.
The Dopamine Cycle: Why Alcohol is So Addictive
When we drink, we get a temporary feeling of euphoria from the chemical hormone dopamine. This fleeting buzz lasts about thirty minutes before dopamine levels drop, leaving us feeling worse than before.
Dopamine is both the pleasure and learning molecule, meaning when something feels good—like drinking—our brain records it as a positive experience. This creates a neural pathway that reinforces, "Wine makes me feel good. Drink more wine to feel good."
Think of these neural pathways as well-worn roads in your brain that make it easier to repeat the same behavior.
The problem?
The dopamine hit we get from alcohol is unnaturally high, so the brain works hard to restore balance by releasing dynorphin—a chemical that counteracts dopamine’s effects and brings us back to baseline. This leaves us feeling low, so we instinctively reach for another drink to chase that initial high.
This cycle repeats itself over and over, reinforcing the craving for alcohol and making moderation nearly impossible. Cutting back doesn’t stop this loop—it just prolongs the struggle because those neural pathways remain active, always waiting for the next drink. (Can anyone say hamster wheel?!”)
I dig even deeper into dopamine and the addictive nature of alcohol on day 5 of my book.
Why This Makes Saying No So Hard
If you’ve ever wondered why cutting back on drinking feels like an uphill battle, here’s why:
Your brain gets stuck on autopilot, making it incredibly difficult to break ingrained drinking habits.
You struggle to learn from past experiences, which can lead to repeated “should I / shouldn’t I” with wine.
Emotional regulation takes a hit because your brain has a harder time shifting from stress mode (amygdala) back to rational thinking (prefrontal cortex).
In other words, alcohol rewires your brain to keep you drinking—and makes it harder to stop once the cycle is in motion. (We don’t have to get fired up today about how big alcohol knows this and is selling you a highly addictive drug while telling you to “drink responsibly.” I’ll leave that for another article.)
This is why moderation is so freaking hard! It’s not just about cutting back; your brain has been wired to seek out alcohol repeatedly. Trying to 'drink less' often leads to frustration because the same neural pathways that drive addiction are still active. The real shift happens when alcohol is removed altogether, allowing your brain to reset and heal.
The Good News: Your Brain Can Rewire Itself, That’s How God Designed It
You are not broken, and this isn't about willpower. If drinking has felt impossible to moderate or quit, it’s because alcohol has rewired your brain to keep you drinking—not because you lack self-control. The best news? You are not stuck. Your brain wants to heal. And you can help it do just that.
Here’s the best part: God made our brains with the ability to change. Even if years of drinking is making this hard, you can still change, just like I did. Your brain can heal. It’s literally built by God for change (hallelujah, neuroplasticity!), but it needs the right support.
Here’s how you can help rewire your brain for the better:
Try a 40-Day Alcohol Fast – Removing the alcohol interference gives your brain a chance to reset.
Fuel your brain properly – Prioritize nutrient-dense foods with healthy fats, proteins, and antioxidants to support brain function.
Move your body daily – Joyful movement boosts neurogenesis (aka, the birth of new brain cells) and enhances our brain function. (I talk all about this on Day 19 of the fast.)
Get the stress under control – Breathwork, prayer, meditation (the Psalms are great for this), and quality sleep all help rebalance your nervous system.
Find community -God designed us to be in community, and if you're ready to reset your brain and find true freedom, join me in the next 40-day alcohol fast.
You don’t have to do this alone—our community is here to support you every step of the way.
Every choice you make today shapes your brain’s future.
Don't let anyone tell you that you don't have a choice when it comes to drinking and when it comes to healing.
It doesn't matter if "alcoholism is in your DNA," you have an "addictive personality," or that one enneagram number means you're doomed; none of that means you have to stay stuck.
The fact that you’re taking the time to read articles like this, understand your brain, and work with it, not against it, is a testament to your first step into lasting transformation. Your brain was designed to change and heal. You just have to give it the right tools.
Sources:
Anushree N. Karkhanis and Ream Al-Hasani, “Dynorphin and Its Role in Alcohol Use Disorder,” Brain Research 1735 (March 2020): 146742, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146742.