Watch Your Thoughts: Skills for Drinking Less and Living More Mindfully. Ep.2
Manage episode 485209075 series 3664931
Episode Title: Watch Your Thoughts: Skills for Drinking Less and Living More Mindfully.
I'm Dr. Fiona Dowman, a qualified Clinical Psychologist in the UK.
Episode Summary:
Have you ever found yourself reaching for a drink and wondering, “Why am I doing this?” You might think it’s because you’re stressed, but what if it’s actually your thoughts about stress that are driving the urge?
In this episode, I explore the powerful role that our thoughts play in shaping our relationship with alcohol. I talk about what happens when we get caught up in our thinking. Especially those automatic thoughts like “I need a drink to relax” or “It’s too hard to stop” and how they can quietly influence our choices.
Together, we’ll explore a simple but transformative mindfulness strategy that helps you to distance yourself from your thoughts, so you can make decisions that are more in line with what really matters to you.
What You’ll Learn:
- How our thoughts (not just our emotions) can drive the urge to drink
- A practical way to create distance from unhelpful thinking
- What it means to get tangled in a “thought web” and how to get unstuck
- A simple exercise to help you observe your thoughts with more clarity
🔗 Resources I Mention:
🎧 Download my free 20-minute Mindful Drinking Audio Guide: drinklessbooze.co.uk
📬 I’d love to hear your feedback about this episode or what you noticed when trying the technique I shared. You can reach me directly at:
📧 [email protected]
Or connect with me on Instagram: @drinklessbooze
Episode Timestamps:
00:00 – Welcome & what this podcast is all about
01:15 – Why you might be drinking more than you want to
04:40 – Thoughts as drivers: what’s really behind the urge
07:10 – The spider web metaphor & how thoughts can trap us
10:30 – A powerful tool to take back your freedom
13:25 – Try this: A simple thought-observation practice
15:10 – Wrapping up and your next steps
If you found this episode helpful, I’d love for you to subscribe, leave a review, or share it with a friend who might need to hear it.
Please note: The tips I share on this podcast are not a substitute for personalised professional advice. If you’re concerned about physical dependence on alcohol, it’s important to speak to your GP or local alcohol service.
Share your feedback and Connect with me on Instagram @purplebridgepsychology
or Facebook
4 episodes