Fox News<\/a> this week.<\/p>\n\u201cAs an addiction professional, as someone who\u2019s been in this field for a very long time, I don\u2019t see a whole lot of success with that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steinman acknowledged that some people are able to return to drinking after years of sobriety without falling back into problematic patterns.<\/p>\n
\nBut she considers those people \u201canomalies and exceptions to the rule.\u201d<\/p>\n
And she says there can be a dangerous level of confidence that comes with years of sobriety.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople think, \u2018Oh, I\u2019ve gone this long. I think I\u2019m going to be able to manage it \u2013 I have the skills now. I have tools,\u2019\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n
Steinman compared addiction to chronic health conditions that require ongoing management.<\/p>\n
\u201cI liken it to diabetes or heart disease \u2013 you have to manage this health issue,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s the same thing for alcoholism and substance use issues.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to Steinman, addiction can alter the brain\u2019s reward system, leaving it highly responsive to the dopamine associated with drinking or drug use.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd that doesn\u2019t go away \u2013 it lays dormant,\u201d she said. The addiction specialist compared that dormant response to a bear in hibernation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you wake that bear \u2026 life can quickly become unmanageable,\u201d Steinman warned. \u201cSo they want to be very mindful of that happening.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steinman also pointed to some potential warning signs for anyone who has returned to drinking after a period of sobriety.<\/p>\n
Those signs can include consuming increasingly larger amounts, erratic behavior, drinking alone, secretly drinking, or beginning to drink during the day.<\/p>\n
She also noted that \u201cmoderation\u201d can mean very different things depending on the person.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it one drink a day? Is it a drink at dinner only? I\u2019ve had people try out moderation by not having liquor at all and just sticking to beer and wine,\u201d Steinman said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo it\u2019s all these different trials that they\u2019re doing when someone starts seeing an escalation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Steinman generally advises against what she described as \u201ctesting the waters\u201d with alcohol after a problematic relationship with it.<\/p>\n
And her message is clear: A lengthy period of sobriety doesn\u2019t necessarily mean the underlying problem has disappeared.<\/p>\n
Anyone noticing problematic behaviors involving alcohol or drugs, she advised, should speak with an addiction counselor.<\/p>\n
Pitt, meanwhile, says he is confident he knows his limits. Whether an expert would agree with that assessment is another matter entirely.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
![\"Brad](\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-2221765906-1-1024x695.jpg\")