How to Drink Less
You don’t have to hit rock bottom. You don’t need to call yourself an alcoholic. And you definitely don’t have to commit to never drinking again if that feels too scary.
How to Drink Less is for anyone who’s ready for a healthier, more intentional relationship with alcohol—whether you’re just starting on your sober-curious journey, trying to cut back on drinking, or looking for a new way to control alcohol cravings without relying only on willpower.
Hosted by sobriety coach and hypnotist Adriana Cloud, this podcast combines practical neuroscience, psychology, and mindset coaching to help you:
—understand why you drink (and sometimes overdrink);
—retrain your brain’s reward system and habit loops;
—stop drinking on autopilot;
—manage cravings without feeling deprived;
—build confidence and emotional resilience as you drink less;
—feel more in control around alcohol.
No judgment, no scare tactics, and no pressure to be perfect—just practical tools and compassionate support from someone who’s been there.
As a former daily drinker, Adriana knows firsthand how challenging it can be to break a habit that's been decades in the making. Now, as a certified Gray Area Drinking coach and hypnotist, she uses her training and personal experience to help others take the leap and build the beautiful sober (or sober-ish) life they truly want.
Ready to change your drinking habits and feel better—for good? Start listening today.
Learn more at www.adrianacloud.com.
Episodes
48 episodes
46. How Hypnosis Can Help You Drink Less or Quit Completely
When I tell people I’m a hypnotist, they usually picture one of two things: stage shows with people clucking like chickens… or some kind of mind control.In this episode, I’m breaking down what hypnosis actually is, what it isn’t, and how...
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Episode 46
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18:03
45. How to Date When You're Sober or Sober-Curious
Valentine’s Day is coming up, so in this episode we’re talking about dating and drinking—and how to date when you’re sober or sober-curious.If you’re on the dating apps, going on first or second dates, or getting to know someone new, alc...
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Episode 45
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21:52
44. After Dry January: Taking a Break vs. Making Lasting Changes
Dry January is almost over. What next?Whether you completed Dry January, stopped early, or didn’t attempt it at all, this episode will help you decide how to move forward, especially if your goal is to change your drinking in the long te...
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Episode 44
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12:52
43. Can ChatGPT Help You Drink Less?
You already know what to do when it comes to your drinking. You’ve read the articles, you've downloaded the drink-tracking aps, you've saved screenshots of tips.And yet… here you are.In this episode, I talk about why having the ri...
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Episode 43
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10:40
42. How to Tell Other People You’re Not Drinking
*FREE GUIDE included in this episode—get yours below!* One of the hardest parts of cutting back or taking a break from alcohol is figuring out what to say when people ask, “Why aren’t you drinking?”In this e...
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Episode 42
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13:04
41. What People Get Wrong about Motivation
Motivation is one of the most misunderstood concepts when it comes to changing your relationship with alcohol.A lot of people assume that if they were truly motivated, making a change would feel easy, or at least it would feel good. And ...
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Episode 41
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15:24
40. How to Do Dry January
Thinking about doing Dry January but already worried it’s going to be hard?In this episode, I’m breaking down how to approach Dry January in a way that’s actually realistic and useful—especially if alcohol has been one of your main ways ...
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Episode 40
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15:26
39. 5 Lessons from 5 Sober Years (That I Wish I'd Learned Sooner)
This episode goes live on Christmas Day, which also marks five years since I stopped drinking. To celebrate—and to reflect—I’m sharing five of the most important lessons I’ve learned across five sober years.I talk about:why h...
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Episode 39
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12:11
38. The Simplest Way to Drink Less: Delay the First Drink
What if one small pause could make drinking less feel easier?In this episode, I’m talking about one of the most effective—and most underestimated—tools for changing your drinking: delaying the first drink.This isn’t about willpowe...
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Episode 38
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11:34
37. I Don't Care How Much You Drink
Here’s a radical reframe: How much you drink is not what determines if you have a healthy relationship with alcohol.You can drink often and feel fine, or drink once a month and feel completely out of control. The number of drinks ...
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Episode 37
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16:21
36. Thank Your Past Self for Drinking
In this episode, we’re talking about something radical—thanking the version of you who reached for alcohol.Most people who want to drink less carry years of regret, embarrassment, and self-judgment. They replay old mistakes and think,
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Episode 36
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13:50
35. Why Gratitude Won't Help You Drink Less
This Thanksgiving episode explores a side of gratitude we don’t talk about enough—what happens when gratitude becomes something you use against yourself.If you’ve ever thought:“I have so much to be grateful for… so why do I still ...
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Episode 35
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11:22
34. How to Drink Less during the Holidays
The holidays can bring a perfect storm of triggers—stress, celebrations, nostalgia, family dynamics, social pressure, loneliness, and the belief that drinking is simply “what we do” this time of year. If you’re trying to cut back, drink less, o...
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Episode 34
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20:40
33. The Rider, the Elephant, and the Path: How Change Happens
Ever feel like part of you wants to drink less, but another part of you grabs the wine anyway?You’re not weak. You’re not broken. And you’re definitely not alone.In this episode, I’m sharing one of the most powerful metaphors I’ve...
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Episode 33
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14:15
32. Why I Became a Sobriety Coach
This episode is personal.Today, I want to tell you how I went from feeling trapped in a cycle of overdrinking, shame, and self-hatred to helping others break up with alcohol.I became a sobriety coach not because I studied it in a ...
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Episode 32
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14:57
31. Why You Can’t Stop Drinking for Someone Else
Have you ever tried to cut back on drinking because your partner or a friend said you should? Maybe you were determined to prove them wrong, or to show them you could change. But if that external pressure was your only motivation… it probably d...
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Episode 31
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14:04
30. Why You Can’t Shame Yourself into Drinking Less
So many people believe that if they just felt bad enough about their drinking, they’d finally stop.But shame isn’t a good motivator for change—it’s a trap.In this episode, I break down why shame keeps you stuck in the dri...
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Episode 30
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19:52
29. Do You Like Your Reasons for Drinking?
When you reach for a drink, do you know why? And more importantly… do you like your reason?In this episode, we’re setting aside the unhelpful “good” vs. “bad” drinking binary and getting curious instead. I’ll walk you through on...
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Episode 29
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13:04
28. How to Relax without Drinking
If you’ve ever said, “I need a drink to unwind,” this episode is for you.Whether it's after a long day at work, a chaotic evening with the kids, or a moment of emotional overwhelm, many of us turn to alcohol as a quick fix for stress. Bu...
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Episode 28
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20:51
27. How to Have Fun without Drinking
Is it even possible to have fun without alcohol?In today’s episode, I’m breaking down one of the most common fears I hear from clients: that life without drinking will feel boring, flat, or lonely. For years, I believed that too...
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Episode 27
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18:03
26. The Truth about Freedom and Restriction
“I don’t want to feel restricted.”It’s one of the most common reasons people resist taking a break from alcohol or cutting back. But what if the restriction isn’t in saying no to alcohol? What if the restriction is everything...
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Episode 26
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11:57
25. 5 Practical Tips for How to Drink Less
Mindset matters. But sometimes, you just want to know what to do. In this episode, I’m sharing 5 practical, doable tips to help you drink less—without needing more willpower or motivation. These are simple habit tweaks you can try ...
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Episode 25
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9:29
24. Is "One Day at a Time" Keeping You Stuck?
You’ve probably heard the advice to take it "one day at a time," and in early recovery, that can be incredibly helpful. But what if it’s also what’s keeping you stuck?In this episode, I’m exploring why the one-day-at-a-time mindset can s...
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Episode 24
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13:32