Living With Our Pain with Jessica Murnane

My guest this week is Jessica Murnane – a podcaster, author, and women’s health advocate, who is also one of the most down-to-earth and non-preachy people in the modern wellness space.

Jessica’s and I met when were both promoting our first books four years ago. I had only just started speaking about being sober curious publicly and Jess was one of the first people I’d come across who had cut booze out of her life for health reasons – namely as part of the holistic protocol she had embraced to manage her endometriosis. 

For the unfamiliar, endometriosis is a chronic condition where the lining of the womb starts to grow on other organs of the body. It affects over 170 million people worldwide with sufferers experiencing excruciating pain—but it often goes undiagnosed for decades. It’s also the subject of Jess’s latest book, Know Your Endo – and we get into all the reasons why this is illness is so taboo in our interview.

As it pertains to being sober curious, the reality of endo is that there is no quick fix—just like there is no “off switch” when it comes to problematic drinking. We also discuss why many people living with chronic pain – whether physical, mental, or emotional – turn to substances to numb out, and how hard it can be to choose what we know is “good” for us when all we want is relief.

Most importantly, we talk about how to advocate for yourself and give yourself what you need – especially when the other people in your life may not understand where you’re experiencing. In the episode we discuss: 

-Growing up “Straight Edge” and choosing NOT to drink as an act of rebellion.

-Receiving mixed messages about alcohol in the home.

-Being introduced to booze as part of her career in the culinary world.

-What makes alcohol feel special – and why we associate drinking with elevated experiences.

-The prevalence and normalization of daily drinking on TV and in the media.

-Cutting alcohol out again to help manage her endometriosis. 

-The mental health impact of living with chronic pain – and why it makes sense to want to numb out.

-Using cannabis medicinally – and questioning when this becomes too much of a crutch.

-Training your body to appreciate the long-term benefits of holistic healing methods over the instant relief of booze and pills.

-How changing your diet can impact your mental and emotional wellbeing.

-Why we want to believe in “quick-fixes” and why creating sustainable change always takes time.

Learn more about Jessica and her work HERE and get your copy of Know Your Endo HERE. You can also follow @jessicamurnane on Instagram.

Thanks to Athletic Brewing for partnering on this episode. Get 20% off your first order at Athleticbrewing.com with the code RUBY20.