January often brings a cultural nudge to reevaluate our relationship with alcohol and other substances—whether through a formal challenge like Dry January, a personal pause, or simply casual curiosity about patterns we carry. Now that we’re past the midpoint of the month, this is a natural moment to look back, notice what came up, and reflect on why substance use and stress are so often intertwined.
This isn’t about success or failure. It’s about awareness—noticing what feels heavy, what feels familiar, and how your nervous system speaks back when there’s less or no chemical “noise” in the background.
Humans are wired to seek relief from discomfort. Chronic stress, intense emotions, and unresolved trauma all activate the body’s stress response—the part of the nervous system that prepares us to fight, flee, freeze, or fawn. When that system stays “on,” it can feel exhausting, uncomfortable, and unpredictable.
Many people turn to alcohol or other substances as a way of dampening that internal pressure. Temporary relief, ease, or numbness may feel soothing in the moment, but it doesn’t restore regulation—it alters it. Over time, the body adapts to the chemical signals of the substance, and what once felt like relief becomes a different kind of imbalance.
In fact, research shows a robust connection between traumatic experiences and patterns of substance use. Adults with significant childhood adversity are at higher risk for alcohol dependence and other substance use disorders, suggesting that substances are sometimes stand‑ins for the nervous system’s unmet need for safety and regulation.
Alcohol affects multiple stress‑related systems in the brain and body. It can influence the hypothalamic‑pituitary‑adrenal (HPA) axis—a core regulator of stress hormones—and create a pattern of adaptation that feels “normal” only while alcohol is present. Over time, this adaptation can feed back into stress reactivity rather than reduce it.
In short:
People with post‑traumatic stress symptoms, for example, are more likely than others to experience problematic drinking patterns—and those drinking patterns can, in turn, worsen stress‑related symptoms when the effects wear off.
This is not about judging behavior. It’s about understanding the why behind it.
When people reduce or stop drinking — even for weeks like in Dry January — the nervous system can become more perceptive of sensations and emotions that were previously muted. Some of this is biological: the systems that once relied on alcohol’s chemical modulation begin recalibrating, which can feel unfamiliar or intense.
For many, this experience includes:
Rather than signs of instability, these shifts often reflect increased access to unbuffered emotional and physiological experience—a step toward internal regulation rather than external modulation.
Trauma‑informed care recognizes that stress, dysregulation, and coping patterns are deeply rooted in the nervous system—not moral qualities or weaknesses. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy, in particular, offers a way of meeting the nervous system where it is and aiding integration:
While EMDR isn’t a substance use program per se, it can be a powerful part of a trauma‑informed recovery or moderation plan—helping individuals understand and shift the why behind cravings, triggers, and emotional overwhelm.
Now that Dry January (or your own version of it) is unfolding into February, here are some questions that invite curiosity rather than judgment:
These questions aren’t about correctness. They’re about awareness—and awareness is the first layer of regulation.
If you’re noticing that patterns around substances, stress, or overwhelm feel heavy or out of your control, here are some supportive resources that approach this work with care and evidence:
If you’re outside the U.S., your local public health department or psychological association often has similar directories for support.
Struggling with stress, trauma, or substance patterns is not a “lack of willpower.” It’s a nervous system response with roots in experience, regulation, and biology. Trauma‑informed care meets that system with curiosity, respect, and evidence—not shame.
💬 What did you notice about your nervous system during Dry January—or during any period of reduced substance use? We’d love to hear your reflections in the comments below.
Amanda Martin holds a PhD in Family Therapy and is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Supervisor, and EMDRIA Approved Consultant. With over 14 years of experience, she specializes in trauma therapy for individuals and families in residential and outpatient settings. Amanda also provides supervision for EMDR certification, EMDR consultants-in-training, and LMFT-Associates. Her mission is to help people find a healthy, joyful, and fulfilling path in life. Her warm, supportive, and interactive counseling style incorporates Symbolic Experiential Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, HeartMath, Animal-Assisted Therapy, Neurofeedback, and Collaborative Problem Solving.
Dr. Jose Carbajal, a U.S. Army veteran, earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work and a master’s in theological studies from Baylor University, and a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington. With over 15 years of clinical experience and extensive teaching experience, Jose specializes in trauma, sexual abuse recovery, domestic violence, and substance abuse. His research focuses on trauma interventions, neuroscience, and faith. He is EMDR Certified, an Approved Consultant, and an EMDRIA Approved Trainer, with numerous publications and professional presentations to his name.
Amber holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in both Texas and Oklahoma and holds Supervisor credential for Texas. Amber is an EMDRIA consultant and trainer. She has over a decade of experience in the trauma field in work with uniformed services, domestic violence, childhood trauma and abuse, and recent mass trauma events. Amber provides consultation for EMDRIA certification, for consultants-in-training, and supervision for LPC-Associates. Amber continues to research the benefits of EMDR therapy with a variety of populations. Her goal is to help build strong clinicians who are well versed in trauma interventions to better support their clients. Amber sees a limited number of clients with a focus on trauma work, she is also a Certified Career Counselor and Certified through EAGALA to provide equine-assisted therapy.
Amber holds a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Regent University. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in both Texas and Oklahoma and holds Supervisor credential for Texas. Amber is an EMDRIA consultant and trainer. She has over a decade of experience in the trauma field in work with uniformed services, domestic violence, childhood trauma and abuse, and recent mass trauma events. Amber provides consultation for EMDRIA certification, for consultants-in-training, and supervision for LPC-Associates. Amber continues to research the benefits of EMDR therapy with a variety of populations. Her goal is to help build strong clinicians who are well versed in trauma interventions to better support their clients. Amber sees a limited number of clients with a focus on trauma work, she is also a Certified Career Counselor and Certified through EAGALA to provide equine-assisted therapy.
Dr. Jose Carbajal, a U.S. Army veteran, earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work and a master’s in theological studies from Baylor University, and a Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Texas at Arlington. With over 15 years of clinical experience and extensive teaching experience, Jose specializes in trauma, sexual abuse recovery, domestic violence, and substance abuse. His research focuses on trauma interventions, neuroscience, and faith. He is EMDR Certified, an Approved Consultant, and an EMDRIA Approved Trainer, with numerous publications and professional presentations to his name.
Amanda Martin holds a PhD in Family Therapy and is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Supervisor, and EMDRIA Approved Consultant. With over 14 years of experience, she specializes in trauma therapy for individuals and families in residential and outpatient settings. Amanda also provides supervision for EMDR certification, EMDR consultants-in-training, and LMFT-Associates. Her mission is to help people find a healthy, joyful, and fulfilling path in life. Her warm, supportive, and interactive counseling style incorporates Symbolic Experiential Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, HeartMath, Animal-Assisted Therapy, Neurofeedback, and Collaborative Problem Solving.
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