Description

Episode 13: The Heartbreak of Broken Promises

In this episode of The Zero Proof Life, host Karla Adkins explores the emotional weight of breaking promises around alcohol. She introduces the concept of fading effect bias and how it impacts memory, decision-making, and the pull of romanticizing past drinking experiences. With compassion and clarity, Karla helps listeners understand the triggers and habit loops that contribute to relapse and highlights the importance of accountability and self-forgiveness in recovery.

Key Takeaways:

• Breaking promises about drinking creates deep emotional pain.
  
• Fading effect bias can distort memories of alcohol use.
  
• Romanticizing past drinking experiences increases relapse risk.
  
• Triggers and habit loops are central to drinking behavior.
  
• Self-forgiveness and compassion are crucial for healing.
  
• Accountability builds strength and resilience in recovery.
  

Timestamps:
 00:00 — Understanding the Struggle with Alcohol
 02:53 — The Emotional Weight of Breaking Promises
 05:45 — Fading Effect Bias: A Psychological Insight
 09:05 — The Role of Memory in Alcohol Use
 11:54 — Understanding Triggers and Habit Loops

Resources & Links

• https://www.thezeroprooflife.com/products/zpl-monthly-subscription
  
• Follow ZPL: https://www.instagram.com/thezeroprooflife/ 
  
• Follow the coaches:
  
  • Brandi Babb – @littlebigleap (https://www.instagram.com/littlebigleap/) 
    
  • Karla Adkins – @karlakadkins (https://www.instagram.com/karlakadkins/) 
    
  • Carolyn Bennett – @thesoberempath (https://www.instagram.com/carolynbennett2.0/) 
    
  • Becca Snider – @becsnider (https://www.instagram.com/becsnider/) 

If this conversation resonated with you, please follow the show and leave a review so more people can discover The Zero Proof Life.

Reflection Prompts:

1. What led me to drink again?
   
   
   • What was I feeling just before the decision?
     
     
   • Was it stress, loneliness, social pressure, celebration, or overwhelm?
     
2. What did I hope alcohol would help me feel—or help me avoid?
   
   
3. What positive memories did I recall in that moment that may have influenced me?
   
   
   • Were they accurate… or softened by Fading Affect Bias?
     
     
   • What parts of those past drinking experiences do I tend to forget?
     
     
4. What was the full truth of this experience?
   
   
   • Emotionally, physically, mentally—what actually happened after I drank?
     
5. If I were to tell the full story—not the edited memory—how would it go?
    (Write it like you're explaining it to your future self.)
   
   
6. What “job” did alcohol try to do for me in that moment—and what else might have helped?
   
   
7. What’s one thing I learned about myself through this experience that I didn’t know before?

Reframing Statement:

“This moment isn’t a reset. It’s a window into what I truly need—and how I can better support myself next time.”

Write your own version of this statement.

A Note on Cravings vs. Cues

These acronyms can help you recognize when what feels like an alcohol craving…
 might actuall