Ever wonder why you could handle loud bars, clubs, or crowds when you were younger, but now, even dinner with background noise feels like too much? You probably weren’t handling it. You were numbing it. Many of us used alcohol (or other substances) to dull our sensory systems just enough to tolerate overstimulation. Once you stop, your nervous system is finally unmasked—raw, sensitive, and honest about what it can’t handle. It’s awareness, not regression. Healing means learning what your body ac