That Glass of Wine to De-Stress? How Alcohol Creates “Artificial Depression” and What CBT Can Do
An Intro to CBTShow Notes
Ever reach for a glass of wine after a long day, thinking it will help you unwind — only to feel more sluggish, low, or anxious the next morning? You’re not imagining it. Alcohol may feel relaxing at the time, but for many of us, it creates an “artificial depression” in the brain and nervous system afterward — and we often don’t connect the dots.
In this fun, practical episode, based on a top CBT workbook by Veronica Walsh, we explore the simple science behind how your “stress relief” drink can backfire, and how CBT can help you regain control of your mood, energy, and evenings.
This brain-friendly episode blends insight with practical action — easy to understand, remember, and apply:
You’ll learn how to:
Recognize the difference between genuine stress recovery and alcohol-driven “relief” that masks your nervous system activation Spot automatic thoughts and misattributions that keep the habit in place (“I need this to relax”) Observe and experiment with your own mood, energy, and stress levels to gather evidence for smarter choices Apply simple CBT strategies to interrupt the habit loop and replace it with healthier routines step by step Experiment to identify which anxiety, low mood, or shakiness might actually be alcohol-related rather than stress-related
CBT is about awareness, evidence, and self-compassion — not judgment. Even small changes in understanding and behaviour can produce surprisingly big improvements in how steady, calm, and energised you feel.
Whether you want to cut back, moderate, or simply understand the habit better, this episode gives you practical tools to reclaim evenings that truly restore your mood, energy, and calm.
Access more CBT resources — handouts, workbooks, audios, and videos:
Blog & free CBT resource guides: iVeronicaWalsh.wordpress.com CBT practice (Ireland): CBTandFeelingGood.com
Further reading: a CBT Visual - The Wine Ritual - download PDF https://iveronicawalsh.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/wine_ritual_stress_response-1.pdf
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