The Big Drink Rethink

The Big Drink Rethink is a podcast for anyone questioning their relationship with alcohol - whether you want to quit, drink less, take a break, or just explore the role alcohol plays in your life. Hosted by Alcohol Mindset Coach and Author, Anna Donaghey, each episode blends lived experience, psychological insight, and powerful tools to help you create change - gently, intelligently, without pressure, and in a way that opens up your life. Featuring expert guests, real stories, and practical strategies, this podcast offers a refreshingly smart, non-judgemental space to reflect, grow, and explore the life you want. Because rethinking your drinking isn’t about missing out. It’s about tuning in. It’s not about restriction - it’s about making space. To feel clearer, live more fully, and ask one honest question: What are you really thirsty for?

The Big Drink Rethink is a health podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 0 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts The Big Drink Rethink, a health show with 0 episodes published.

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  Episode #136

  Ep 136: The Alcohol - ADHD Connection | Rethinking Alcohol |

  Aug 12, 202659 min

  Why does alcohol seem to have a different, more intense pull for some people - and could undiagnosed ADHD be the missing piece of the puzzle? In this episode, Anna Donaghey is joined by Matt Wing, a midlife mentor who spent over 30 years in a cycle of high achievement and high-functioning drinking, before a late ADHD diagnosis reframed everything. Together, they explore the misunderstood relationship between ADHD and alcohol use, bust the myth that it’s a simple willpower problem, and break down the real, neurological drivers behind compulsive drinking. Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Meet Matt Wing, midlife mentor, exploring ADHD and alcohol 01:13 Decades of "normal" drinking and the invisible exhaustion under it 04:45 Compulsive self-fixing, failed solutions, and obsessive searching 06:12 The pink book, ADHD traits, and why self-help didn't always land 10:21 ADHD as a chronic dopamine deficit 11:08 Instant dopamine hits: why nothing's enough 12:44 Why attempts to cut down usually fail: it's not a "willpower" issue 15:03 Alcohol's social acceptance hides its true addictiveness 18:02 ADHD drinking: urgency, intensity, and chasing the unattainable 23:19 Why 4pm is the real problem, not "having a drink problem" 24:16 Racing head syndrome: alcohol as the only "off switch" that works 29:19 Hyperfocus, the evening crash, and alcohol as relief not reward 31:13 Rejection sensitivity and rejection-sensitive dysphoria in ADHD 33:28 Why social drinking feels so necessary (and so hard to quit) 34:38 "Time blindness": why the ADHD brain struggles with "forever” 43:04 The missed ADHD generation: making sense of the past 46:22 New ways to soothe the nervous system 51:40 Growth mindset: you're not stuck, and social skills can be learned 53:37 ADHD as a superpower if you channel it right 56:40 Where to find Matt Wing and resources to get support. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Matt Wing: Matt Wing is the founder of Midlife Mentor, a coaching and content brand for midlife adults who want to change their relationship with alcohol without calling themselves an alcoholic or sitting in a recovery group. He's the creator of the 4PM Reset Method, built around the idea that most people don't have a drinking problem, they have a 4PM problem: the daily window where old habits take over. Matt speaks from experience, not theory, and has helped clients through his 30-Day Reset, 90-Day Deep Work, and 1:1 coaching programmes. He shares free tools and weekly insight through his newsletter, The Friday Feeling, and on Instagram @midlife.mentor, where he's built a community of over 100,000 followers. Connect with Matt: Website: https://www.midlifementor.me/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midlife.mentor

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  Episode #135

  Ep 135: What Have You Got To Be Unhappy About? | Rethinking Alcohol

  Aug 5, 202657 min

  Why do high-flying CEOs, investors, and ultra-successful leaders, people with every resource at their fingertips, still end up stuck, lonely, and reaching for a drink? In this episode, Anna Donaghey is joined by Lindsey Frances, a leadership psychologist and longtime AA member who has seen alcohol up close from both the boardroom and the AA room. Together they unpack the universal experience of feeling trapped by drink, the myth that outer success delivers inner fulfilment, and why human suffering pays no attention to your bank balance. Is the pull to drink really about stress, status, or socialising, or is it something deeper: unmet needs for purpose, connection, and calm? As Lindsey and Anna discover, real change starts with a single question: what are you truly thirsty for? Highlights: 00:00 Intro: High achievers & high-functioning alcohol use 02:03 What boardrooms and AA rooms have in common 05:15 The trap: shame, disconnection, and feeling unworthy 06:09 Why suffering feels the same in £1000 shoes or 99p flip-flops 09:36 Success as an external “cage”; failing on the inside 12:14 Coping at the top: alcohol and other numbing strategies 13:32 Addiction is disconnection, so what comes first? 15:13 Alcohol as a (false) shortcut to connection and significance 17:06 What are people really thirsty for? Purpose, enough-ness, & joy 22:30 Why high achievers can’t just “stop” 26:12 Sophrology and imagining a life beyond work (and drinking) 30:27 What does constant “fight or flight” feel like? 36:31 Why you can’t biohack your way out of pain 40:08 Universal issues, whether you run hedge funds or trim hedges 45:08 Simple, accessible tools for regulating your nervous system 48:01 “Simple, but not easy”: choosing your hard 49:20 Lindsey’s own journey - making sense of emotions after quitting 54:09 Andrew Lloyd Webber’s story: why sobriety trumps career success 54:55 Serving others, and the real sources of flourishing 55:23 Where to find Lindsey Frances and resources for sophrology Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Lindsey Frances: Lindsey Frances is a clinical sophrologist, legacy and wealth psychologist, preventative health expert and data-led performance coach, helping high performers, CEOs and investors master financial and emotional stress, sleep and self-regulation through a unique blend of sophrology, biometrics and behaviour change psychology. In 2021, she opened a private sophrology cabinet on the Alpine French-Swiss border, where she has since guided clients ranging from cross-border executives and athletes to burnout recoverers towards calmer nervous systems and more sustainable performance. Connect with Lindsey: Website: https://www.lindseyfrances.co.uk/

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  Episode #134

  Ep 134: Drowning in Data But Starved of Insight | Rethinking Alcohol

  Jul 29, 202613 min

  What if all the sleep scores, step counts, and readiness reports in the world still leave you missing the point? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey unpacks the paradox of our “self-quantified” age: we collect endless data about our bodies, yet remain confused about why we reach for that Friday night drink. Why do so many of us meticulously track our health and download optimisation apps, but still pour a glass (or two) at the end of the week even though the data says it’s a bad idea? Anna explains why metrics alone can’t change behaviour and why the real question isn’t “What does the data show?” but “What are you truly thirsty for?” Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Obsessed by health data but still drinking? 00:44 The archetype: data-obsessive, wine-on-Friday person 02:04 We’re more quantified, and less self-aware, than ever 03:21 Data isn’t enough to change behaviour 05:30 We’ve stopped asking about causes and focus on numbers instead 06:53 The wine and wellness routines: same job, different means 07:33 Understanding your body is useful but it’s only the doorway 08:23 The answer is found in your life, not your data 09:45 The core unmet needs that drive drinking 10:06 Meeting your deeper needs transforms your relationship with alcohol 10:44 The real question: what is this drink telling me about my life? 11:29 Next week: Lindsey Frances using data as the start, not the end, of self-discovery 12:11 The question to sit with: not your sleep score but what are you thirsty for? Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

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  Episode #133

  Ep 133: Why Waiting Until You’re Ready Rarely Works | Rethinking Alcohol |

  Jul 22, 202651 min

  What if the real reason you feel stuck around drinking isn't a lack of willpower or information, but simply that your thinking can't yet see another way? Anna Donaghey is joined by Doug Fleener, author of "Start with What If" and creator of the "What If Rule", a simple, three-step practice for creating new perspectives in real time. Drawing on his own journey from addiction to leadership roles at Bose Corporation, Doug shares how change really happens: through interruption, curiosity, and asking different questions. Together, he and Anna explore why curiosity trumps willpower, and how tiny shifts - like asking, "What if I just didn't drink today?" can unlock entirely new possibilities. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Welcome to The Big Drink Rethink 00:45 What if what keeps you stuck isn’t willpower? 01:01 Meet Doug Fleener 02:14 The “What If Rule”: change in real time, not ‘someday’ 03:23 Doug’s 30,000ft wake-up call 06:09 The power of interruptions and rock bottoms 07:11 Why it feels easier to change your state than change your life 15:15 The real impact of asking “What if I didn’t drink just today?” 16:21 Why avoiding forever/never thinking makes change possible 17:47 “I’ll tackle it when I’m ready” - and how action actually creates clarity 23:10 The What If Rule explained: Pause, Question, Go 31:43 Why one pause matters even if you still have the drink 33:13 How identity, habit, and depletion drive drinking autopilot 37:52 Future journaling: setting intentions for who you want to be 41:12 Drinking as a default off-switch for discomfort 43:08 How to sit with feelings (instead of pushing them down) 45:42 “Nobody ever wishes they drank more” 46:47 The permission to start small 49:12 You don’t need a plan, just the next question. Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk About Doug Fleener: After years of struggle with addiction and self-doubt, Doug rebuilt his life from the inside out. And his journey shaped his belief that transformation begins with one simple question: What if? As the author of “Start With What If” and “The Day Makes the Year (Makes a Life)”, and the creator of The What If Rule, Doug helps people see challenges, habits, and everyday moments in a new light. His insights are practical, hopeful, and deeply human - showing how anyone can create better perspectives and possibilities starting today. Connect with Doug: Website: https://www.dougfleener.com/ Book “Start with What If?”: https://www.dougfleener.com/dougsbooks

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  Episode #132

  Ep 132: Why Doesn't Summer Feel Like a Break? | Rethinking Alcohol |

  Jul 16, 202617 min

  Summer is supposed to be the easy season, so why does it so often leave us more tired, pressured, and frazzled than ever? In this solo episode, Anna Donaghey unpacks the myth of the "restful summer" and the invisible standards that pile up as the weather warms: be the memory-maker, the joy-creator, the calm presence. It's a pressure that fuels depletion and quietly drives the urge for an evening drink, not for pleasure, but as an off-switch when rest feels out of reach. Drawing on psychologist Donald Winnicott's idea of the "good enough" parent, Anna reframes what it means to do summer well, and shares practical questions to help you carve out genuine breaks, lower the pressure, and gently move away from alcohol as your only way to switch off. If your summer doesn't feel like the break you were promised, this episode will show you you're not alone and point you toward a kinder, more sustainable way through. Here are the Highlights: 00:00 Intro: Why can summers be exhausting 01:20 The real summer vs. the Instagram version 03:20 Family life: chaos of young kids or grownup kids at home 05:07 The “gap” between summer’s promise and reality 05:26 Feeling the pressure to make memories 06:03 Why we feel guilty when we finally get a break 06:31 Evenings as the first off-switch and how that cues drinking 08:03 Introducing Winnicott’s “good enough” concept 09:52 Chasing the perfect summer sets up the craving for relief 10:14 Good enough is actually enough 11:27 Once you lower the bar, the craving (and pressure) loosens 12:32 What your evening self actually needs 13:47 What would actually make summer feel like a break for you? 14:39 Specific examples for reclaiming space and calm 15:47 “Good enough” as the true standard, not a consolation prize 16:07 The real summer is messy (and that’s enough) Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy! Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/ The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/ If you appreciate the podcast and would like to show a bit of love, you can donate the cost of a coffee here. It helps support the time and care that goes into making the show: https://buymeacoffee.com/bigdrinkrethink About the host Anna: Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do. Connect with Anna: Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

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