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What if low and no alcohol drinks just... aren't for you?

Before you close the tab — hear me out.

Not everyone is ready to make the switch, and that's not a criticism — it's a reality check. There are some very specific reasons why low/no drinking might not be the right fit for certain people, right now.

From expecting a perfect like-for-like replica of your favourite Rioja, to relying on Dutch courage to get through a first date, to simply not being able to stomach the price tag of a decent alcohol-free wine — I've seen all of these get in the way of what could have been a genuinely positive change.

There's also something more serious in the mix: for a small percentage of people, low and no drinks can be triggering in a way that does more harm than good — and if that's you, that matters, and I'm not going to gloss over it.

It's one of the more tongue-in-cheek episodes I've done — and yes, there are a few genuinely daft reasons in there too — but the underlying point is real. Changing the way you drink only works when you're actually ready to. And if you are? There has never been a better time to start.

0:42 You want an exact replica of your favourite boozy drink
4:35 Wine alternatives
5:35 You don't have a personality
6:52 Growing confidence in your own social abilities
7:58 You want to be in with the in crowd
9:54 You refuse to keep an open mind
12:13 You're price sensitive to quality
14:41 You find them triggering
17:19 The real point

Episodes mentioned:

#78. How Your Tastes Change When You Start Drinking Low/No - https://www.buzzsprout.com/2229527/episodes/16940036

# 164. Drinks 101: Why Do Alcohol-Free Drinks Cost So Much? - https://www.buzzsprout.com/2229527/episodes/18805771

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You can email me at denise@lownodrinkermagazine.com

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*Some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a commission that helps me keep the show going. Thank you.

Hey, let's text 🤗

What if the thing standing between you and a healthier relationship with alcohol isn't your social life, your job, or your partner — but the beliefs you've been carrying around for years without ever questioning them?

In this episode, I get personal about some of the most common — and most stubborn — limiting beliefs that keep people stuck in drinking patterns they'd genuinely like to change.

From the idea that you need a drink to "take the edge off" (and what we actually lose when we do that),

To the belief that fun and alcohol are inseparable,

To the very human fear that because you've tried before and it didn't stick, you simply can't change.

I look at where these beliefs come from, why we hold on to them so fiercely, and — more importantly — how to start unpicking them.

This one's worth a listen if you've ever found yourself saying "I don't really have a problem" while simultaneously wishing things were a little different.

You don't need a crisis to make a change. Sometimes you just need to get honest with yourself about what you actually believe.

Your next listen: ep#163. Five Questions to Ask Yourself About the Pros and Cons of Different Moderation Techniques

3:56 Taking the Edge Off
5:46 You Can't Have Fun Without Booze
8:16 No Problem = no problem
9:34 Fear Of Failing At Moderation
11:36 How to Review What Went Wrong Last Time

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Join me inside The Vault, where theory becomes action, and you learn how to drink mindfully on your own terms - https://mindfuldrinking.substack.com/s/the-vault

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You can email me at denise@lownodrinkermagazine.com

===
*Some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a commission that helps me keep the show going. Thank you.

Hey, let's text 🤗

Have you ever had that quiet, nagging feeling — not a dramatic rock-bottom moment, just a low-level sense that something's a bit off? A voice in the back of your head that you keep brushing aside, telling you that maybe, just maybe, alcohol has something to do with it?

For most of us, the realisation that we want to change the way we drink doesn't arrive with fanfare. It creeps in. It shows up as a hangover that just won't shift, a morning's worth of anxiety that wasn't there before, or a Saturday spent recovering when you'd rather be doing literally anything else.

In this episode, I walk through five of the most common signs — some obvious, some surprisingly subtle — that your relationship with alcohol is shifting, and that your body and mind might be quietly ready for something different. For each sign, I point you towards a companion episode that goes deeper, so wherever you are in your own journey, there's somewhere useful to go next.

3:22 Long Tail Hangovers

7:26 The Morning After Hangxiety Spiral

11:03 When Your Drinking Starts to Bore You

14:52 The Wasted Time

18:55 The Emotional Fallout

22:57 Two Extra Signs

Episodes to check out :

118: Why You Can’t Drink Like You Used To

103: No One Tells You This About Drinking Less in Midlife

153. Are You Too Old For Mindful Drinking?

155. Identity Crisis: Does Drinking Less Mean Becoming Less You?

161. The Real Reason Your Friends Can’t Take ‘No’ for an Answer

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Join me inside The Vault, where theory becomes action, and you learn how to drink mindfully on your own terms - https://mindfuldrinking.substack.com/s/the-vault

===
You can email me at denise@lownodrinkermagazine.com

===
*Some links are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may earn a commission that helps me keep the show going. Thank you.