When Drinking Less Feels Hard: Alcohol Keeps Me Going

In this episode of the Alcohol Minimalist podcast, Molly wraps up the series When Drinking Less Feels Hard by looking at the final Alcohol Core Belief: Alcohol Keeps Me Going.

This belief often shows up as boredom, restlessness, wanting “one more,” drinking when you’re home alone, not wanting the night to end, or feeling like alcohol is the thing that makes an ordinary evening feel more interesting. Molly explains why the deeper issue is not “I’m bad at stopping,” but rather, “My brain believes alcohol helps me keep the night going.”

Molly also shares a final reminder about Mostly Dry July-The Daily, a 31-day program with a private daily podcast, daily videos, weekly group coaching calls, and support for prioritizing alcohol-free days without all-or-nothing thinking.

In This Episode

• Why Alcohol Keeps Me Going can be a sneaky Alcohol Core Belief
• How boredom, restlessness, and “one more” drinking keep the loop going
• Why alcohol can make an ordinary evening feel like it has more purpose
• How dopamine, prediction, and familiar cues create urges
• Why alcohol myopia makes “one more” feel convincing
• The difference between a promise and a plan
• How to create a “stopping ritual”
• Why drinking less cannot be the only plan if alcohol has been filling your time, space, or sense of interest

Key Takeaway

Alcohol may feel like it keeps you going, but it may actually be keeping you from noticing what you need: rest, interest, connection, nourishment, or permission to stop.

Listener Practice

Choose one moment when alcohol tends to “keep you going.” Maybe it’s when you’re home alone and bored, after the first drink, late at night, or when you don’t want the evening to end.

Ask yourself:

1. What do I think alcohol is keeping going?
2. What am I trying not to transition into?
3. What do I actually need right now?

Then use the See, Soothe, Separate, Shift process:

See: I’m having the thought that alcohol will keep this going.
Soothe: Of course my brain is offering that. I’ve practiced this pattern.
Separate: The fact is I want more of something. The story is that another drink is the way to get it.
Shift: I can ask what I actually need before I decide whether to drink.

Resources Mentioned

• Mostly Dry July-The Daily
• Alcohol Core Beliefs
• https://www.facebook.com/groups/alcoholminimalists

Low risk drinking guidelines from the NIAAA:

Healthy men under 65:

No more than 4 drinks in one day and no more than 14 drinks per week.

Healthy women (all ages) and healthy men 65 and older:
No more than 3 drinks in one day and no more than 7 drinks per week.

One drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor. So remember that a mixed drink or full glass of wine are probably more than one drink.

Abstinence from alcohol
Abstinence from alcohol is the best choice for people who take medication(s) that interact with alcohol, have health conditions that could be exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. liver disease), are pregnant or may become pregnant or have had a problem with alcohol or another substance in the past.

Benefits of “low-risk” drinking
Following these guidelines reduces the risk of health problems such as cancer, liver disease, reduced immunity, ulcers, sleep problems, complications of existing conditions, and more. It also reduces the risk of depression, social problems, and difficulties at school or work.

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