Why We Drink Too Much: Breaking Free from Alcohol Dependence | Interview with Dr. Charles Knowles | EP 876

This Naked Mind Podcast

Annie Grace

Education, Self-improvement

4.7 • 2.8K Ratings

🗓️ 31 January 2026

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of alcohol dependence, addiction, suicidal thoughts, mental health struggles, and relapse. Why we drink too much isn't always obvious—what if the answer lies deeper than willpower or self-control? Dr. Charles Knowles, a world-renowned surgeon and author, spent decades trapped in a cycle he couldn't explain: 10 years of fun, 10 years of fun with consequences, and 10 years struggling to stop. As a high-achieving professional, he looked nothing like the stereotype of someone with alcohol dependence, yet he faced the same battle millions experience in silence. Through his journey to find freedom from alcohol and extensive research, Dr. Knowles discovered that understanding how we learn to drink, and why some people can't unlearn it, is the key to breaking free. In this episode, Dr. Knowles joins Coach Cole Harvey to explore the science behind gray area drinking, the difference between positive and negative reinforcement, and why shame is the biggest barrier to change. Dr. Charles Knowles and Coach Cole discuss : "Light turning on" moments: when alcohol feels like instant peace for the first time Why being sober means having peace of mind, not just being alcohol-free The powerful analogy: trying not to drink is like being deprived of water in the desert How the "memory super league" in your brain makes drinking patterns nearly impossible to break Gray area drinking and the role of worry, cognitive dissonance, and control Alcohol reliance as a missing piece in how we talk about modern drinking habits Why dry challenges work best when they become a learning process (not just "white-knuckling") Finding out who you are without alcohol after years of drinking shaped your identity And other topics… Episode links: https://amzn.to/4r9eP3b When you buy something we recommend, we may get an affiliate commission — but it never affects your price or what we pick. Related Episodes: Gray Area Drinking with Jolene Park | Naked Life Story | EP 47 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-47-naked-life-story-jolene-park/ Are there normal drinkers? | Reader Question | EP 400 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-400-reader-question-are-there-normal-drinkers/ Why do I keep going back to drinking? | Reader Question | EP 570 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-570-readers-questions-why-do-i-keep-going-back-to-drinking/ 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! Hungryroot: Get 40% off your first box + a free item for life at ⁠https://www.hungryroot.com/mind⁠ Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at⁠ ⁠⁠Shopify.com/mind⁠⁠⁠ Quince: Go to⁠ ⁠⁠Quince.com/naked⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns BetterHelp: BetterHelp makes it easy to get matched online with a qualified therapist. Sign up and get 10% off at ⁠BetterHelp.com/nakedmind

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to This Naked Mind with Annie Grace.
0:14.4	Everybody and welcome to the This Naked Mind podcast. I am Cole Harvey, filling in for the
0:19.1	amazing Annie Grace. And today we're joined by a special
0:22.2	guest, Dr. Charles Knowles, a world-renowned surgeon, researcher, and author of the new book,
0:27.8	Why We Drink Too Much, the Impact of Alcohol on Our Bodies and Culture that was released
0:32.8	earlier this year in January of 26. We live in a culture where alcohol is everywhere, celebrated,
0:39.3	normalized, and rarely questioned. But what is it really doing to us? And why do some of us
0:44.7	struggle to stop while others can take it or leave it? And why we drink too much, Dr. Knowles
0:49.2	blends his deep knowledge of science with his own personal story to explore those questions.
0:53.5	The book reframes the way we think about drinking, challenges long-standing myths, it opens up a
0:58.1	conversation that's relevant to anyone who drinks is sober curious or wants to
1:01.7	better understand the role alcohol plays in our culture. Dr. Knowles, thank you so
1:06.0	much for being on the podcast and welcome. Thank you, Cole. It's a pleasure to be
1:09.6	here. Thank you for inviting me.
1:11.3	Yes, sir, of course. Before we dive into the book, I'd love to hear just a little bit about
1:16.8	your story and what made this a book you need to write? Well, my story with alcohol started in my
1:23.0	teenage years and I was pretty much a regular drinker by the age of 17 and I was a person for whom
1:29.5	alcohol was an incredible solution to the problems in my life really from the very moment I first
1:35.6	touched it. It was sort of eye-opening and life-changing opportunity for me when I first started
1:43.1	drinking and not unsurprisingly, I was
1:46.1	enthusiastic about it from the very start on that basis. And I suppose, you know, without boring
1:52.8	the readers with lots of, you know, detail about my drinking story, it could be summarised as
	...

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