Why Alcohol Feels Like a Reward (And Why ‘I Deserve This’ Is So Hard to Argue With)

Why Alcohol Feels Earned at the End of the Day

There’s a moment at the end of the day when a voice cuts in.

Not gentle. Not negotiable.

“We deserve this.”

In that moment, alcohol doesn’t feel optional — it feels owed.

This episode explores why drinking is so often tied to reward, not pleasure, and why stopping can trigger anger, resistance, or a sense of deprivation that feels completely out of proportion.

We’re not talking about willpower.

We’re not talking about discipline.

We’re talking about what your nervous system is trying to protect.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why alcohol becomes the primary reward after effort, stress, and emotional labour
• What’s really happening when stopping drinking triggers anger or outrage
• Why willpower fails when alcohol is wired in as relief, not desire
• How deprivation — not alcohol itself — drives resistance
• What it actually means to redesign your reward system from a SELF-led place

This episode isn’t about taking anything away.

It’s about understanding what alcohol has been doing — before you decide what comes next.

If this stirred something and you don’t want to act on it yet, that’s okay.

There’s a private STRIVE Discord space where people bring moments like this — especially the end-of-day reward moment — and let them settle without fixing or forcing anything.

No advice.

No pressure.

Just a place to put the moment down.

If you want access, email me at thestrivemethod@gmail.com, and I’ll point you in the right direction.

#TheTruthAboutAlcoholPodcast, #AlcoholAndReward, #EndOfDayDrinking, #AlcoholRelief, #AlcoholHabits, #AlcoholAwareness, #NervousSystem, #SelfLedLife, #STRIVE, #LeeDavy