Ep. 538 Is Alcohol Your Hidden Identity? – The Most Eye-Opening Way to Reframe Your Drinking Habits with James Swanwick | Menopause & Alcohol

Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Menopause, and Science for Women 35+

Cynthia Thurlow

Science, Alternative Health, Nutrition, Health & Fitness, Life Sciences

4.8 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 7 January 2026

⏱️ 62 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

I am honored to be joined today by James Swanwick, a renowned stop-drinking expert and author of Clear: The Only Neuroscience-Based Approach for High Achievers to Quit Drinking Without AA, Rehab, or Willpower. He is a former SportsCenter anchor on ESPN and the creator and founder of the Stop Drinking Process. In today’s personal and thought-provoking conversation, James and I talk about alcohol use disorder, exploring how family dynamics and early environments shape our drinking habits, how alcohol use becomes normalized, the perceived benefits of drinking, and the very real health risks and consequences. James explains why alcohol is considered one of the most harmful drugs, how younger generations are approaching alcohol differently, the role of peer pressure in an alcohol-free lifestyle, and the importance of gratitude. Join us for an insightful and informative discussion on why we drink, how to reframe our relationship with alcohol, and for those who are sober-curious, a stepwise approach to making that shift. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN: How family dynamics and early environments shape our relationship with alcohol How alcohol becomes normalized long before we ever take our first drink The real cost of using alcohol as a social lubricant How the health consequences of alcohol show up as we age Where alcohol ranks among the most harmful drugs Why appropriate accountability and community matter more than willpower The importance of structured support when quitting alcohol How gratitude, reframing, and daily practices can reduce cravings and support lasting change Connect with Cynthia Thurlow Follow on X, Instagram & LinkedIn Check out Cynthia’s website Submit your questions to support@cynthiathurlow.com Join other like-minded women in a supportive, nurturing community: The Midlife Pause/Cynthia Thurlow Cynthia’s Menopause Gut Book is on presale now! Cynthia’s Intermittent Fasting Transformation Book The Midlife Pause Supplement Line Connect with James Swanwick On Instagram Alcohol-free Lifestyle Alcohol-free Lifestyle on YouTube Alcohol-free Lifestyle Podcast CLEAR: The Only Neuroscience-Based Method for High Achievers to Quit Drinking Without Willpower, Rehab, or AA

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Everyday Wellness Podcast.
0:03.7	I'm your host, nurse practitioner, Cynthia Thurlow.
0:07.4	This podcast is designed to educate, empower, and inspire you to achieve your health and wellness goals.
0:13.9	My goal and intent is to provide you with the best content and conversations from leaders in the health and wellness industry each week and impact
0:22.1	over a million lives.
0:28.7	To add the honor of recording with James Swanwick, he's a renowned stop drinking expert
0:34.4	and author of the book Clear, the only neuroscience-based approach for high achievers to quit drinking without
0:40.3	AA, rehab, or willpower.
0:42.6	He's a former Sports Center anchor on ESPN and creator, founder of the Stop Drinking
0:47.5	Process.
0:48.8	Today was a highly personal and fascinating discussion about alcohol use disorder, the impact of our drinking habits
0:57.9	based on what we grew up within in terms of our family, how habits around alcohol are normalized
1:05.8	and become an identity for many, prevailing themes and perceived benefits of drinking, the consequences
1:12.7	and health risks of alcohol use, why alcohol is the fourth most harmful drug after heroin,
1:19.2	crack cocaine, and crystal meth, how younger generations are approaching alcohol use, and how
1:25.2	we can go about reframing our relationships with alcohol in a proactive
1:31.5	stepwise approach.
1:33.8	Last but not least, the impact of peer pressure for an alcohol-free lifestyle and the role
1:39.2	of gratitude.
1:40.4	Today will be a highly insightful, informative, and interesting conversation around why we drink,
1:48.5	how we can reframe our relationship with alcohol, and for those that have an interest in being
1:54.0	sober curious, a stepwise approach and how to make that happen.
	...

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