March Madness Series: Know the Scoreboard-What is Your Drinking Costing You?

In this second installment of the March basketball series, Molly takes the analogy one step further. Last week was about knowing your playbook — recognizing the patterns behind your drinking. This week is about knowing the scoreboard.

Because it’s not just about how many drinks you had.

It’s about what the game is costing you.

Molly explores the difference between evaluating a single night of drinking and looking at your overall “season record.” One off night may not define you. But trends over time tell a deeper story. Are you moving toward more peace, more energy, and more self-trust? Or are you stuck in negotiation, anxiety, and subtle disappointment?

The episode weaves together personal reflection and neuroscience, breaking down how alcohol impacts GABA, glutamate, cortisol, and dopamine. Molly explains the neurological rebound effect behind 3 a.m. wake-ups, how dopamine drives anticipation and craving, and why repeated drinking can increase baseline stress sensitivity over time.

This episode isn’t about shame or dramatic declarations. It’s about clarity. And clarity gives you the power to adjust your strategy mid-season.

In This Episode

• Why the scoreboard matters more than effort
• The difference between a single “game” and your season record
• The hidden costs of drinking beyond obvious consequences
• How alcohol increases GABA — and why that calm feeling doesn’t last
• The glutamate and cortisol rebound that fuels 3 a.m. wake-ups
• How dopamine drives anticipation and craving
• Why repeated dopamine spikes can make normal life feel “flat”
• The cumulative impact of stress reactivity over time
• The mental and emotional cost of daily negotiation
• Why adjusting your strategy mid-season is a sign of maturity, not failure

Key Takeaways

• The scoreboard reflects outcome, not intention.
• Automatic does not mean inevitable.
• Alcohol may relieve stress temporarily but increase baseline stress over time.
• Dopamine fuels anticipation more than pleasure.
• One bad night is a single game. Trends over time are your season record.
• You are allowed to adjust your strategy mid-season.

This Week’s Practice

Instead of only tracking drinks, expand what you observe:

• How did you sleep?
• Did you wake up at 3 a.m.?
• How did your anxiety feel the next day?
• How much mental space did alcohol take up?
• Did you follow through on your plan?

You are not trying to force change. You are gathering data. And clarity reduces ambivalence.

Mentioned in This Episode

• The neurological rebound effect (GABA and glutamate balance)
• Dopamine and anticipation conditioning
• Sunnyside mindful drinking app (15-day free trial)

Work With Molly

If you’re ready to go beyond listening and begin applying these tools with support, you can learn more about working with Molly at:

www.mollywatts.com

You can also reach out directly at molly@mollywatts.com to explore what level of support is right for you.

Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:

Healthy men under 65:

No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.

Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:
No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.

One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.

Abstinence from alcohol
Abstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.

Benefits of “low-risk” drinking
Following these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work.

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