Living alcohol-free and deliriously happy!

If you’ve found yourself repeatedly searching things like “am I an alcoholic?”, “signs of alcoholism”, “is my liver damaged?” or “how much is too much alcohol?” - you’re not alone. And you’re not “dramatic” or “attention-seeking” for checking. That late-night Googling is usually a sign of something deeper: your brain is trying to reduce uncertainty and soothe anxiety… while also trying to keep alcohol in the picture. That tug-of-war has a name. It’s called cognitive dissonanc

If you’ve noticed that alcohol and menopause are a particularly rubbish combination, you’re not imagining it. There comes a point where alcohol stops feeling like your glamorous little mate and starts behaving more like an absolute knob. What used to be a couple of drinks and a slightly fuzzy morning can suddenly turn into 3am dread, a mouth like a flip flop, anxiety for no bloody reason, and the sort of sleep that feels less “restorative” and more “lightly haunted”. If you’r

Years ago a little voice inside my head would plague me every now and again. It was annoying as hell. It would always be at its loudest after a heavy night of drinking. "You're in trouble... you feel like crap. You cannot keep control of your drinking. Everyone else can! LOSER." "Wow. You did it again. You texted that person late at night. NOW what trouble are you in. Eh?" "You idiot. You can hardly walk or work. Your head is all tizzy. You feel like a bag of dirt. You will r

When people first take a break from alcohol, in those all-important first few days and weeks, it is commonplace to experience a little...

Today at the day job I had my end of year assessment, where a respected manager was to give me feedback on my year, and how best to...

thankfully never once thought about drinking alcohol, which used to be my go-to "friend" when stress hit. I never think about drinking, thes

As I sit and stare at this now slightly tatty looking author copy of my paperback book, I marvel at how far I have come. I cannot stop...

Annie Grace & Amanda in Tampa, at the ALP Training in March For This Naked Mind coaches, the learning never stops. We are an open book,...

Can you pinpoint a moment in your life where everything changed? I can pinpoint loads of moments, but sadly many of them are tragic, and...

"Do you still crave alcohol?" asked a friend recently. We had been enjoying a coffee together, solving the worlds problems, and catching...

Today I came across a quote by the incredible Annie Grace, author of This Naked Mind, and a big part of the reason for my own freedom...

Are you joining the ever-increasing number of people doing Dry January this month? Whether for a quick health kick, to get your alcohol...

I finally got round to fixing a broken screen on my iPad last week. It had been broken for three years. As I left the screen repair shop...

An interesting article hit the Daily Mail (UK) yesterday, suggesting there is evidence that some heavier drinkers share the same genes....

It all started well enough, but eventually you were drinking alcohol every night. Stressful day at work? A drink will solve it. Long day...

Are you worried about missing out if you give up alcohol? Many of us are before we take a break from alcohol, and there will be many...

I love the Autumn, with its crunchy leaves and warm golden colours, cooler weather and crisp sunny mornings. Absolute heaven. With the...

Why do we find it hard to let go of things which no longer serve us? It could be a job, a partner, a friend, or anything. Why do we...

I was enjoying another alcohol-free beer in a local pub a couple of nights ago, celebrating a colleagues retirement, and having a really...

Today I went to a pub after work to say goodbye to an old boss. Pretty standard stuff, saying goodbye to an old work colleague, but as I...