234. Drop the Shame and Quit Alcohol Like a Boss with Jessica Clark
In this episode of the Alcohol Rethink Podcast, Patrick Fox is joined by sober author and Alcohol Change UK Community Champion Jessica Clark.
Jessica shares her honest journey from questioning her drinking in her teens to becoming alcohol-free and writing her first book, How to Quit Alcohol Like a Boss.
This conversation is for anyone who feels stuck in the grey area, not at rock bottom, but knowing alcohol takes more than it gives.
Patrick and Jessica explore the exhausting mental battle around alcohol, the shame that comes from comparing yourself to “normal drinkers”, and how alcohol quietly shapes identity, anxiety, food choices, and self-worth over time.
They talk openly about what actually happens when you remove alcohol, why early sobriety can feel uncomfortable, and how learning to feel again is part of the process.
There’s also a real-world look at sober socialising, stag and hen dos, dopamine, energy levels, and why quitting alcohol isn’t a loss, it’s a boss move.
If you’ve ever thought, “Why can everyone else drink normally but I can’t?” this episode will help you see things very differently.
Key takeaways
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There is nothing wrong with you – alcohol works exactly as designed
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The mental negotiation around drinking is what exhausts people the most
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Early sobriety can feel flat or uncomfortable because peace is unfamiliar
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Alcohol often drives anxiety, low mood, poor food choices, and shame
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Removing alcohol creates space to rediscover who you are without it
Explore
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Why moderation feels harder than quitting altogether
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How alcohol impacts dopamine, energy, and emotional regulation
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Identity shifts that happen when alcohol is no longer the centre of social life
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Why comparison to other drinkers keeps people stuck
How compassion and understanding speed up change
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