The Empty Bottles She Couldn't Stop Hiding

5 a.m., and the bottles go out before anyone's awake. A soft clink of glass against the can, quick hands, quicker steps back inside. For years this was Michelle's ritual, drink alone, hide it, wake up and do it again. A DUI didn't stop it. A year and a half without a drink during COVID didn't stop it. One sentence, heard on a commute to work, finally put a stop to her cycle of drinking alone and hiding it. Michelle and Coach Cole discuss: Growing up with a mother whose drinking shaped a lifelong anxiety Michelle didn't understand until years later Why marijuana, not alcohol, came first, and what changed in her mid-twenties The private ritual of disposing of empty bottles before dawn, and what it revealed about the shame she was carrying A DUI, a year and a half alcohol-free during COVID, and why neither one was the real turning point The one unexpected concept that finally undid years of moderating, relapsing, and starting over And more on shame, self-trust, and what it means to finally feel like one whole person instead of two… Ready to take the next step? Visit https://learn.thisnakedmind.com/podcast-resources for free resources, programs, and more. Until next week, stay curious! Cole Harvey is a Certified Naked Mind Senior Coach who helps people build better habits and find meaning through curiosity, self-compassion, and adventure. Learn more about Coach Cole: https://thisnakedmind.com/coach/cole-harvey/ Episode links: nakedmindpath.com More on this episode: https://thisnakedmind.com/podcast/drinking-alone-and-hiding-it-michelles-naked-life-ep-944/ Related episodes: Alcohol Addiction and Shame | Naked Life Story | EP 679 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-679-naked-life-story-hayley-s/ Is Drinking In Moderation Possible? | Reader Question | EP 08 - https://thisnakedmind.com/ep-08-reader-question-moderation-possible/ Trusting Yourself Again | Alcohol Freedom Coaching | E760 - https://thisnakedmind.com/trusting-yourself-again-alcohol-freedom-coaching-e760/ Follow on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/this-naked-mind-podcast/id1287269357 Follow on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0UB06sNguPjVvgAYFBcR9I?si=b7568f24c21249ff This episode is sponsored by Instant Hydration, Quince, Shopify, Primal Queen, and Hungryroot: Quince: Get free shipping and 365-day returns at ⁠⁠quince.com/naked⁠⁠ Shopify: Sign up for free trial at ⁠⁠shopify.com/mind⁠⁠ Hungryroot: Save 40% on your first order PLUS a free item at ⁠⁠hungryroot.com/mind⁠ CODE: mind Primal Queen: Get a free month of Primal Queen plus FOUR FREE GIFTS at PrimalQueen.com/⁠NAKEDMIND⁠ Instant Hydration: Save 40% on your first subscription order at instanthydration.com/nakedmind CODE: NAKEDMIND