Journey to the Sunnyside

Today I’m sharing something that more people should know about… but most still don’t. It’s called naltrexone — a prescription medication that can actually help reduce how rewarding alcohol feels. That “buzz” or dopamine spike? This blunts it, making it easier to drink less without relying on willpower alone.

In this episode, I’ll walk you through:
  • What naltrexone does in your brain
  • Why it’s not about quitting, but changing your relationship with alcohol
  • And how it fits into our newest offering at Sunnyside — Sunnyside Med
This is the first time we’re offering medical support alongside behavior change. And while naltrexone isn’t a magic pill, when combined with planning, tracking, and coaching, it can be a powerful tool for making moderation easier and more sustainable.

If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t want to drink tonight”… and then poured one anyway, this might be worth exploring.

You can learn more at https://www.joinsunnysidemed.com. Sunnyside Med provides access to naltrexone via a compounded medication (Naltrexone 50mg + B6 5mg). As always, none of this is medical advice — just information to help you stay curious on your path.


Want to drink less with no pressure to quit? Go to https://ctbk.co/4doo5dq for a free 15-day trial.
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ABOUT SUNNYSIDE: Sunnyside is the #1 alcohol moderation app that helps you drink less without any shame, guilt, or pressure to quit. Optimize your alcohol habits to achieve benefits like sleeping better, losing weight, feeling more energy, and saving money. We know that an all-or-nothing approach doesn’t work for everyone, so we focus on helping you set your own goals, celebrate small wins, and build a lasting system of accountability. As a result, 96.7% of our members see a big drop in their drinking after 90 days.

Disclaimer: This podcast is not intended as medical advice, and the views of the guests may not represent the views of Sunnyside. If you’re concerned about your health or alcohol use, please consider seeking advice from a doctor.

Creators and Guests

Host
Mike Hardenbrook
#1 best-selling author of "No Willpower Required," neuroscience enthusiast, and habit change expert.

What is Journey to the Sunnyside?

Journey to the Sunnyside is a top 1% podcast, reaching over 500,000 listeners every week. It’s your guide to exploring mindful living with alcohol—whether you're cutting back, moderating, or thinking about quitting.

While Sunnyside helps you reduce your drinking, this podcast goes further, diving into topics like mindful drinking, sober curiosity, moderation, and full sobriety. Through real stories, expert insights, and science-backed strategies, we help you find what actually works for your journey.

Hosted by Mike Hardenbrook, a #1 best-selling author and neuroscience enthusiast, the show is dedicated to helping people transform their relationship with alcohol—without shame, judgment, or rigid rules.

This podcast is brought to you by Sunnyside, the leading platform for mindful drinking. Want to take the next step in your journey? Head over to sunnyside.co for a free 15-day trial.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in our episodes do not necessarily represent those of Sunnyside. We’re committed to sharing diverse perspectives on health and wellness. If you’re concerned about your drinking, please consult a medical professional. Sunnyside, this podcast, and its guests are not necessarily medical providers and the content is not medical advice. We do not endorse drinking in any amount.

Speaker 1:

Welcome to Journey to the Sunnyside, the podcast where we have thoughtful conversations to explore the science of habits, uncover the secrets to mindful living, and of course, your own mindful drinking journey. This podcast is brought to you by Sunnyside, the number one alcohol moderation platform. And if you could benefit from drinking a bit less, head on over to sunnyside.co to get a free fifteen day trial. I'm your host, Mike Hartenbrook, published author, neuroscience enthusiast and habit change expert. Welcome back to Journey to the Sunny Side.

Speaker 1:

I'm Mike Hartenbrook, I want to ask you a question. Have you ever come across something so helpful that you're surprised more people aren't talking about it? Well, that's what I want to share with you today. It's called naltrexone. It's a prescription medication that can help you to drink less.

Speaker 1:

And if you haven't heard of it, don't worry. By the end of this episode, you're going to understand what naltrexone actually does in your brain, why it can help some people to drink less, not by forcing abstinence, but by changing how alcohol feels, and how this ties into something brand new that we're offering here at Sunnyside called Sunnyside Med. Before we dig in, please do note that none of the content in this podcast should be interpreted as medical advice. It's best to consult your doctor if you have specific questions about naltrexone. With Sunnyside Med, you'll also have the chance to connect with a member of our care team for questions that feel more comfortable to you.

Speaker 1:

So what is naltrexone? Let's start with the basics. Naltrexone is a medication it's been FDA approved since the 1990s to help people reduce alcohol use. It's not addictive, and unlike some of the more aggressive medications focused on alcohol use, it doesn't require complete abstinence or make you sick when you drink. It's a great tool for those looking to cut back without quitting completely.

Speaker 1:

What Naltrexone actually does is blunt the reward your brain gets from drinking. That warm buzz, that dopamine spike that makes you go, ah, this feels good after that first drink. Well, naltrexone kind of damps that down. Think of it like turning the volume knob down on the alcohol's effect. And over time, when your brain starts to notice alcohol isn't delivering the same high, those compulsive urges, that pull that keeps you to keep drinking from one to the next to the next, well, starts to soften too.

Speaker 1:

And here's where it actually gets very interesting. I wanna be clear that naltrexone is not a magic fix. It doesn't erase your habits. It doesn't make you not drink. It just changes how the reward actually feels, which for many people is a game changer.

Speaker 1:

But it's not just like any tool. It works best when it's used with intention. See, most of the cravings that we experience aren't just about chemical reward. They're tied to rituals, things like stress, social patterns, emotional cues. So if you take naltrexone and still live in the same day to day with the same stresses, the same loops, the same cues, no plan, you might not get the results you want, especially when you decide to stop taking the medication.

Speaker 1:

And that's where behavior change comes in. Because when you combine naltrexone with mindful planning, tracking, coaching, and habit systems, it's a completely different story. Let me give you a peek under the hood. When we drink, our brains release endorphins. These are natural opioids that boost dopamine and make us feel good.

Speaker 1:

It's not just the alcohol itself. It's our brain rewarding you for drinking. Now, over time, if your drinking is your go to for winding down or feeling connected, that reward pathway gets reinforced. It becomes what's called the habit loop. Cue, craving, response, reward.

Speaker 1:

And what naltrexone does is it disrupts that loop. It basically says, hey, this thing that you expected to feel amazing, not so much today. That break in the loop gives your brain space to start rewiring. And if you're also building better habits, using something like Sunnyside to track your drinks, plan ahead, reflect, and course correct, you're giving your brain a new pathway to follow. That's where the real transformation happens.

Speaker 1:

Now, if you've been part of the Sunnyside community for a while, you already know that behavior change alone can be incredibly powerful. We've seen it over and over. We have the data. Ninety six point seven percent of all members say that they've been successful at cutting back. And on average, our members reduce their drinking by thirty three percent in the first twelve weeks.

Speaker 1:

That's without medication just tools, support, and a lot of accountability. But for some people, especially those who are struggling with cravings or find themselves going back on their plans, even with the best intentions, adding tools like Naltrexone can make moderation feel easier, faster, and more sustainable. And that's exactly why we're launching something new. We're calling it Sunnyside Med, a brand new offering that gives eligible members access to licensed medical providers who can evaluate whether it is right for you and prescribe it safely if it is. It's fully integrated into the Sunnyside experience.

Speaker 1:

You don't have to figure this out on your own. No awkward doctor's visits. No going to Google and writing, you know, how do I get naltrexone? It's just a trusted team here to guide you 100% online with medication delivered discreetly to your door. This is the first time that we're offering medical support alongside behavior change.

Speaker 1:

And we believe it's the future of alcohol care. Personalized, science backed, flexible, and judgment free. Whether you're moderating, taking a break, or still figuring out your path, this is a powerful new tool that you can choose to explore if and when you're ready. So what does this look like in real life? Let's say it's Friday.

Speaker 1:

You have drinks planned with friends. Normally, might say, you know, I'm gonna stick to three. But by the third round, that plan starts to become a distant memory. Now imagine using Sunnyside and naltrexone with Sunnyside Med. You've already taken your prescription earlier in the evening.

Speaker 1:

When the drinks arrive. That urge to keep going, it's gone. It's quieter. You sip slower. You stop at two.

Speaker 1:

And the next morning, you're feeling proud. You're not regretful. You didn't rely on willpower alone. You had support, chemical and behavioral, working together. And that's what this is all about making it easier to follow on your best intentions.

Speaker 1:

So who is this for? If you've been successful moderating with just planning and track, that's awesome. Stick with that. But if you've had moments where you said, I don't want to drink tonight, and then you found yourself pouring one anyways, if the cravings feel stronger than your plans, then this could be a next step worth exploring. You don't have to be at a rock bottom.

Speaker 1:

You don't have to quit alcohol forever. You just need to be curious about drinking less and open to new tools that can help. Now, we know that making a decision to start taking a new medication, it can be a big deal. Although naltrexone has minimal side effects, it's considered very safe, even for long term use, and it's non addictive, you should still do your own research to make sure that you understand what to expect. It's also never a bad idea to talk to your doctor as a trusted source for information.

Speaker 1:

But we've also been doing a ton of research on our side and can share a bit here. So let's go over a few snippets that I bookmarked. From a report in the American Academy of Family Physicians, they said, oral naltrexone reduces alcohol consumption across multiple outcomes, and once a day dosing offers relative ease of use. From health.com, they said naltrexone, when taken before anticipated binge drinking episodes, significantly reduced both the frequency of binge drinking events and overall alcohol. From a 2006 combined study, they said patients who received naltrexone with medical management had better drinking outcomes than those who received the placebo with medical management.

Speaker 1:

This quote in particular supports the combined use of naltrexone with Sunnyside's behavior change program. Let's not stop there. I got a few more quotes here From the National Alliance of Mental Illness, they said, to date, there are no known problems associated with long term use of naltrexone. It is a safe and effective medication when use directed. And from the American Addiction Centers, there appear to be no significant dangers associated with taking naltrexone and drinking alcohol.

Speaker 1:

These are all trusted, well researched sources that you can find on your own, And you can see it's generally viewed as very safe. You don't just have to take the word from the scientists. There are stories from real people that are very important as well. Here are a few quotes from some of our first Sunnyside Med members. The first one we have is from Barbara.

Speaker 1:

She observed a change in her thinking patterns. It didn't only change my experience of drinking, but also changed the thought patterns around drinking. And in just a few weeks, John also was feeling some results. He said, I started the Sunnyside Med a week ago. For me, it really works.

Speaker 1:

It's a small thing that I can do every day, repeat and build real change. And then finally, we have Laura. She shared why she chose Sunnyside Med. She said, I'm excited and a little nervous to start Sunnyside Med, but I absolutely love Sunnyside and all of its resources, and I know I'm on the right track. And these stories, well, they speak for themselves.

Speaker 1:

So with all this information, it has your curiosity piqued whether this could be a solution for you. Head on over to sunnyside.co/med to learn more and get started. You'll need an existing Sunnyside account, but that's easy to set up too. Or if you'd rather talk to somebody first, just message our coaching team right in the app. We'll walk you through everything you need to know.

Speaker 1:

Of course, no pressure, no judgment. We'll just give you all the options. We're very excited about this, not because we believe everyone needs medication, but because we believe in meeting people where they are and providing as many options as possible to help you reach your goals. And for someone listening, this might be exactly what your journey needs next. So check out sunnyside.cobackslashmed and let us know what you think in the comments.

Speaker 1:

This podcast is brought to you by Sunnyside, the number one alcohol moderation platform. And if you could benefit from drinking a bit less, head on over to sunnyside.co to get a free fifteen day trial.