The Alcohol ReThink Podcast with Patrick Fox

What does 'doing the work' mean once not drinking is no longer the main focus of your life?
In episode 258 of The Alcohol ReThink Podcast, Patrick explores how the work changes as someone matures in sobriety.
In the beginning, it might mean managing alcohol cravings, changing routines and understanding drinking patterns. But as alcohol becomes less important, the focus begins to shift from how to stop drinking towards what to do with the life, energy and clarity that sobriety has created.
Patrick explores the difference between contentment and complacency, why life after quitting alcohol can begin to feel ordinary and how personal growth can become another way of telling yourself that you’re still not good enough.
This episode is for anyone who has made good progress with alcohol but has started to feel as though life is simply happening around them.
Get ready to hear about:
How “doing the work” evolves in long-term sobriety
Why alcohol becoming quiet is both progress and a potential risk
The difference between enjoying life and disengaging from it
How to avoid turning sobriety into another self-improvement project
One practical question to help you reconnect with your life

The work doesn’t stop when alcohol is no longer the problem. It shifts from not drinking to how you choose to live.

Ready to DISRUPT?
If alcohol keeps pulling you back into the same cycle, DISRUPT will help you understand what is happening and start responding differently.
It’s Patrick’s signature 12-week group coaching programme for men who want to step out of autopilot, interrupt their drinking patterns and rebuild discipline, energy and self-trust.
With weekly live coaching, practical tools and the support of a small group of men, you’ll learn how to handle urges, stress, social pressure and setbacks without relying on willpower or endless rules. 
➡️ Find out more and join DISRUPT.

What motivates someone to stop drinking might not be what keeps them going?
In episode 257 of The Alcohol ReThink Podcast, Patrick explores how sober motivation needs to change and evolve alongside the person making the change.
Pain may create the initial breaking point. But what happens when the hangovers, anxiety and arguments begin to fade? When life starts feeling better, relying only on memories of how bad drinking felt may no longer be enough.
Patrick introduces three stages of sober motivation:
The Breaking Point: becoming honest about what alcohol is costing.

What’s Possible: recognising the progress, self-trust and opportunities being created without alcohol.

The Pull: becoming emotionally connected to a future that matters more than drinking.

He also shares why a reason such as health, family or work can sound important without feeling truly compelling, and how going deeper can turn a sensible reason into one that creates lasting change.
This episode is for anyone questioning their relationship with alcohol, struggling to stay motivated in sobriety or wondering what comes after they stop drinking.
Because removing alcohol is not the final destination. It creates the capacity to build something more.
Pain might give someone a reason to stop. Progress gives them a reason to continue. Purpose gives them a future they refuse to trade for alcohol.
Cool things covered in this episode:
Why sober motivation naturally changes over time

How pain can provide the motivation to stop drinking

Why noticing progress helps rebuild self-trust

What to do when motivation to stay alcohol-free begins to fade

How to create an emotionally compelling reason for sobriety

Why purpose does not need to look impressive to anyone else

How to build a life in which alcohol becomes obsolete

⬇️ Resources ⬇️

Download ⁠⁠The 5pm Booze Free Habit Builder⁠⁠

🔥 Sign up to The 30-Day Method to Break the Cycle of Drinking Without Relying on Willpower
If YOU feel successful in many areas of life but still find yourself pulled back into the same drinking patterns…
Then you’re probably MISSING the awareness and tools I’ll be REVEALING inside this FREE 30-Day Training for Men Ready to Take Back Control...
➡️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get Started Right Away by clicking HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Work with Patrick:
Discover how coaching can support your goals in rethinking alcohol.
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Connect with Patrick:
Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠patrickjfox.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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After nearly eight years sober, would Patrick ever drink alcohol again?
It’s a question a friend asked him while they were away on holiday, and his answer was immediate.
In this episode, Patrick reflects on being surrounded by “holiday mode,” watching his daughter drink after turning 18, and the recent coverage of Brad Pitt returning to alcohol after seven years of sobriety.
He explores how stories like Brad Pitt’s can quietly cause someone to question their own sobriety. The mind can easily begin thinking: “If he can drink again, perhaps I can too.”
That’s why protecting your sobriety matters. Not because you need to fear alcohol, but because it’s important to remember what drinking was costing you and what your life has gained since removing it.
Patrick also discusses why the reasons behind your drinking can have such a significant influence on how you drink and the difference between consciously choosing alcohol and using it to escape difficult emotions.
This episode invites you to consider what alcohol would genuinely add to your life, and what you believe you would be going back for.
Cool topics covered:
Would Patrick ever drink again?
Brad Pitt’s return to drinking
Protecting your sobriety from outside influences
Alcohol and 'holiday mode'
Turning 18 and the expectations around drinking
Why comparing yourself with other drinkers can be misleading
Drinking to escape difficult emotions
Why your reasons for drinking matter
The difference between fear and freedom in sobriety

Content advisory: This episode briefly references suicidal thoughts discussed during Brad Pitt’s recent interview. Please take care while listening. If you’re struggling or feel at risk, contact Samaritans free on 116 123 in the UK and Ireland, or seek urgent local support.

⬇️ Resources ⬇️

Download ⁠The 5pm Booze Free Habit Builder⁠

🔥 Sign up to The 30-Day Method to Break the Cycle of Drinking Without Relying on Willpower
If YOU feel successful in many areas of life but still find yourself pulled back into the same drinking patterns…
Then you’re probably MISSING the awareness and tools I’ll be REVEALING inside this FREE 30-Day Training for Men Ready to Take Back Control...
➡️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get Started Right Away by clicking HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Work with Patrick:
Discover how coaching can support your goals in rethinking alcohol.
👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apply here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Connect with Patrick:
Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠patrickjfox.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Support the Podcast
If you love the podcast and want to show your support in helping it continue, you can buy Patrick a coffee here:
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What happens when the very thing that nearly destroys your life becomes the catalyst for your life's work?
This week I'm joined by Shane Gregory, an addiction specialist, Chinese medicine practitioner, and someone whose own story is unlike anything we've shared on the podcast before.
Shane was introduced to drugs at just fourteen years old. What followed was years of chasing that first high, battling psychosis, hearing voices, experiencing profound mental health struggles, and ultimately finding himself searching for a completely different way to understand addiction and recovery.
Rather than viewing addiction through willpower alone, Shane explains how rebuilding the body, regulating the nervous system, reconnecting with nature, and restoring balance became the foundation of his recovery.
Together we explore why so many people feel lost after removing alcohol, the relationship between the body and the mind, why chasing dopamine can become another addiction, and how practices like breathwork, movement, creativity, and rhythm can help people rediscover themselves.
This is a fascinating conversation that blends lived experience with a completely different perspective on healing.
If you've ever wondered why sobriety can sometimes feel emotionally difficult, or why simply removing alcohol doesn't always feel like enough, you'll find plenty to think about in this episode.
Shane's introduction to drugs at just fourteen years old.
The years spent chasing the feeling of that first high.
Living with psychosis and hearing voices.
Why heroin unexpectedly became a turning point.
Discovering Chinese medicine and a new understanding of addiction.
Why recovery is about rebuilding the body, not just changing your thinking.
The connection between dopamine, the nervous system, and long-term healing.
Why creativity, movement, and nature play such an important role in recovery.
What it really means to become 'radically human.'

Cool quotes
"It's not the drugs. It's us. We're the drugs."
"The chase is what addiction is all about."
"You can't take away your experiences, but you can rebuild the body."
"The world has become disconnected from nature, and addiction is one symptom of that."
"To be radically human is to be radically messy."
Content Advisory: This episode contains discussion of drug addiction, psychosis, suicidal thoughts, mental health, and recovery. Some listeners may find these topics distressing. Please listen with care and seek support if needed.
Connect with Shane
@NotAnotherRehab
@Supreme_Ultimate_Shan

When did you actually learn to want alcohol?
Most of us assume our relationship with alcohol began the first time we had a drink. But what if it started years before that?
In episode 254 of The Alcohol ReThink Podcast, Patrick explores how advertising, culture and everyday life quietly shape our expectations around alcohol long before we ever take our first sip.
From the Budweiser frogs and iconic Guinness adverts to birthdays, weddings and Friday night pints, he asks whether the desire to drink is always our own, or whether we've simply been following a script we never realised we'd learnt.
Inspired by his daughter turning eighteen and wanting to celebrate with her first legal cocktail, Patrick reflects on why alcohol has become so closely linked with celebration, reward and belonging, and why questioning those assumptions can be far more powerful than relying on willpower alone.
This isn't an episode about judging alcohol or telling you to stop drinking.
It's an invitation to pause, get curious, and ask yourself one simple question:
"Where did I learn that alcohol belongs here?"
Because sometimes, a single question is enough to change the conversation you have with yourself.
⬇️ Resources ⬇️

Download The 5pm Booze Free Habit Builder

🔥 Sign up to The 30-Day Method to Break the Cycle of Drinking Without Relying on Willpower
If YOU feel successful in many areas of life but still find yourself pulled back into the same drinking patterns…
Then you’re probably MISSING the awareness and tools I’ll be REVEALING inside this FREE 30-Day Training for Men Ready to Take Back Control...
➡️ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get Started Right Away by clicking HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠

Work with Patrick:
Discover how coaching can support your goals in rethinking alcohol.
👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apply here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Connect with Patrick:
Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠patrickjfox.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Support the Podcast
If you love the podcast and want to show your support in helping it continue, you can buy Patrick a coffee here:
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/patrickfox⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠