Losing the Fear of Not Drinking: Rewriting the Story of “Fun” and Freedom | Lindsey’s Naked Life | E870

Losing the fear of not drinking can feel impossible, can’t it? For Lindsey, alcohol was woven into every milestone: sixth-grade sleepovers, college weekends, early marriage, and long workweeks that ended with “just one more” drink on the couch. Drinking wasn’t just a habit; it was how she fit in, turned off the noise, and chased that first rush of feeling totally okay for a moment. Over time, the hangovers became brutal, and the mental fallout was even worse—fights with her husband, Sunday dread, and memories she didn’t always want to remember. One morning, after a night that ended with a chipped tooth and dry heaving on the kitchen floor while her daughter watched, something inside her shifted. Lindsey found This Naked Mind and, for the first time, felt like someone was telling her she wasn’t broken—this is simply what alcohol does. The book became a permission slip to step off the hamster wheel and experiment with not drinking at all. In this episode, Lindsey joins Coach Cole to talk about rebuilding self-trust, reshaping a marriage that was once built on drinks, and becoming the kind of mom whose daughters see her saying “no” with confidence instead of needing a glass to cope.

Lindsey and Coach Cole discuss:

Lindsey describes the first drink in middle school and how quickly alcohol became tied to identity, popularity, and feeling “okay” for a moment.

The progression from curiosity to dependence: chasing euphoria, ignoring red flags, and waking up in emotional and physical pain.

How “I’ll just drink less” experiments and endless rules kept her stuck in the same cycle of regret, self-doubt, and harsh inner dialogue.

The breaking point: a trip that ended with a chipped tooth, a morning spent on the bathroom floor, and her daughter seeing a version of mom Lindsey never wanted to be.

Finding This Naked Mind and reframing her story—from “I’m the problem” to “this is what alcohol does,” opening space to question everything.

What changed when she began losing the fear of not drinking: more stable moods, clearer health goals as a trainer, and deeper presence with her family.

The new foundation of her marriage and parenting—less reactivity, more responsibility for her own choices, and a commitment not to be someone else’s story of what they had to overcome.

How losing the fear of not drinking allowed Lindsey to feel “light as a feather” and more.

Episode links:

nakedmindpath.com

Related Episodes:

How To Stop Using Alcohol As A Crutch - Alcohol Freedom Coaching - E811 - https://thisnakedmind.com/how-to-stop-using-alcohol-as-a-crutch-e811/

What Is the Pink Cloud? - Reader’s Question - E320 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-320-reader-question-what-is-the-pink-cloud/

How To Feel Good Without Alcohol - Reader’s Question - E702 - https://thisnakedmind.com/podcast/ep-702-readers-question-how-to-feel-good-without-alcohol/

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