Finding Yourself Without Alcohol | Nisha’s Naked Life | E836

This Naked Mind Podcast

Annie Grace

Mental Health, Education, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness

4.7 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 13 September 2025

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

How do you socialize without alcohol? If this question has ever crossed your mind, you’re not alone. Nisha spent years using alcohol to cope with life’s challenges, from fitting in socially to relaxing after a long day. It was always there for her, a crutch in moments of loneliness and stress. But just two days into The Alcohol Experiment, something shifted. The internal tug of war she’d struggled with for years—between wanting to quit and the comfort alcohol provided—came to an end. In this episode, Nisha shares her journey to alcohol freedom, the identity struggles she faced, and how she learned to find joy and meaningful connections without alcohol. Her story is proof that sometimes the hardest part is just taking that first step—and how everything can change once you do. In this episode, Coach Cole and Nisha discuss : Nisha’s 25-year relationship with alcohol as a coping mechanism The emotional and social struggles of drinking to fit in and relieve stress The internal tug of war: wanting to quit but feeling stuck with alcohol How alcohol became a crutch during tough times like loneliness, depression, and work stress The pivotal moment two days into The Alcohol Experiment when everything shifted Overcoming the fear of socializing without alcohol The role of identity and how alcohol affected Nisha's sense of self How The Alcohol Experiment helped Nisha realize the physical toll alcohol was taking on her body Learning to enjoy social events without the pressure to drink Nisha’s advice for anyone struggling with the idea of living without alcohol How she now enjoys socializing with non-alcoholic optionsChoosing the "harder" immediate path for long-term benefits. Her message to her past self: "You don't need it, and you're not alone."And much more… Episode links:The Alcohol Experiment - alcoholexperiment.com Related Episodes: Alcohol & Older Adults, What We Need To Know - Reader Question - E152 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-152-reader-question-alcohol-and-older-adults-2/ How Do I Become Socially Confident Without Alcohol? - Reader Question - E582 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-582-readers-question-how-do-i-become-socially-confident-without-alcohol Beyond the Bottle: Finding a Fulfilling Life Using The Alcohol Experiment - Lisa’s Naked Life - E812 - https://thisnakedmind.com/using-the-alcohol-experiment-to-quit-drinking-e812/ Ready to take the next step on your journey? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious!

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to This Naked Mind with Annie Grace.
0:14.6	Hey, everybody, and welcome to the This Naked Mind podcast.
0:18.2	I am Cole Harvey, filling in for the amazing Annie Grace. And today we have Nisha here with us. Hey, Nisha Mind podcast. I am Cole Harvey filling in for the amazing Annie Grace and today we have
0:22.6	Nisha here with us. Hey Nisha. Hi. It's great to have you on. Thanks for being here. Thanks for having me.
0:28.9	Yeah. Well, it's a pleasure. Why don't you just take us back just from the very, very beginning of
0:33.8	your journey with alcohol? So Alcala and I've had a 25, almost 25 year journey. So like most
0:42.0	people, I started drinking, you know, when I was in my early 20s and always loved, loved it, right? I loved the
0:50.0	taste. I loved the way it made me feel. Like I could just kind of do whatever I want. And when
0:57.1	when you're younger, it's, you don't think much of it, right? Because when you're 25 and you're at a bar,
1:03.3	having drinks or cocktails, we don't think about that, right? Because it's kind of a bit more
1:08.6	normal, right? To be out there parting and so i
1:12.4	remember going to business school and you know i grew up in a traditional indian household so
1:18.1	drinking wasn't really a thing and my parents would hold parties and i would kind of like
1:23.4	sneak away a glass of wine here and there for myself, but it was not really something that I
1:29.6	was supposed to be doing. And as I got into business school and left home, I started to party a lot.
1:36.4	And I got to business school. And I was also dealing with a lot of grief at the time because I
1:42.4	lost a parent at the same time. So alcohol
1:46.4	became a way for me to grief and also be somebody that was 25 and was away from home and
1:56.1	party and all of that. So it just became a regular part of my life. You know, every time I went out,
2:01.7	I would drink. And I would pre-drink. We pre-drink before we go to the bar. And it just, it was such a
2:07.6	part of my social experience. And as I started to get older and progress into working and dealing
2:16.4	with life, I started to use it in different ways. And the
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