The 10-Minute Trick That Can Break a Craving | The Alcohol Myth Podcast

When an alcohol craving hits, it can feel like your brain is screaming, “I need a drink.” But what if that craving is not really a command? What if it is discomfort in the body, a nervous system response, or an old autopilot pattern asking for relief? In this episode of The Alcohol Myth Podcast, coaches Jonathan and Ellen unpack why alcohol so often becomes the go-to “switch” for changing your mood, calming anxiety, easing boredom, or getting through the 5 PM trigger. They share practical, in-the-moment tools for creating space between the urge and the drink so you can make a conscious choice instead of reacting on autopilot. You’ll learn simple strategies like splashing cold water on your face, moving your body, going for a walk, practicing HALT, using the WAIT acronym, replacing the ritual with an alcohol-free option, and riding out a craving long enough to discover that it does pass. If you are questioning your relationship with alcohol, taking a break from drinking, exploring alcohol-free living, or trying to understand why cravings feel so powerful, this conversation will help you feel less powerless and more equipped in the moment. In this episode: Why cravings can feel physical, urgent, and inevitable How alcohol becomes a “mood switch” The power of creating space between stimulus and response Practical craving tools that work in real life Why cravings rise, peak, and eventually fade How alcohol-free drinks or mocktails can help replace the ritual What to do when the 5 PM trigger hits Have a question, story, or idea for a future episode? Email us at [email protected] — we read every message. Connect with us: Email: [email protected] Jonathan: https://livecreativeaf.com/ Ellen: https://ellenbiggscoaching.com/ Subscribe for more episodes on pulling back the curtain on the alcohol myth. #AlcoholFree #SoberCurious #QuitDrinking #AlcoholCravings #ThisNakedMind #AlcoholMythPodcast #MindfulDrinking #AlcoholFreeLife #StopDrinking #SoberSupport Chapters 0:00 Alcohol cravings may be body discomfort, not a command 0:47 Welcome to The Alcohol Myth Podcast 1:27 Debunking the myths alcohol feeds us 2:06 Alcohol as the go-to mood switch 3:15 Creating space between stimulus and response 5:04 The power of a tiny pause 6:20 Cravings as a runaway train 7:05 Physical interruption tools for cravings 8:47 Why cravings speak through the body 10:35 Responding to the body with the body 11:33 Switches vs. seeds 12:53 Listening to what your body actually needs 13:43 Using HALT: hungry, angry, lonely, tired 14:17 Challenging the belief that cravings mean game over 16:26 Sitting with a craving and learning from it 17:45 Cravings rise, peak, and fall 19:33 Realizing you are not powerless over cravings 20:53 Ellen’s early alcohol-free beer story 23:06 Replacing the substance, not the ritual 24:38 Alcohol-free drinks as a support tool 26:04 Practical takeaway: keep the ritual, change the drink 27:40 Movement, breath, and physical state changes 28:50 Exercise and natural dopamine 29:42 Walking through a craving 31:19 WAIT: What am I thinking? 31:56 Final tools: WAIT, HALT, move, experiment 32:22 Send questions and stories to the podcast