253. Alcohol Awareness Week with Adam Stokes253. Alcohol Awareness Week with Adam Stokes
The Alcohol ReThink Podcast
Patrick Fox talks with fundraiser Adam Stokes about Alcohol Awareness Week, how alcohol shapes everyday life, and simple ways to reflect on drinking habits. They share personal stories, practical tools and ideas for finding genuine connection and “me time” without alcohol.
31:39•3 Jul 2026
Alcohol and Me: Rethinking Drinking with Adam Stokes
Episode Overview
- Alcohol Awareness Week’s "Alcohol and Me" theme invites people to treat their drinking like any other part of their health and reflect on it openly.
- Alcohol marketing strongly links drinking with fun, relaxation and special moments, even though those experiences can be as good or better without alcohol.
- Simple online tools can help people check their drinking levels, and any worrying results come with clear pointers to support rather than judgement.
- Community, volunteering and fundraising create connection, purpose and new experiences that make an alcohol-free lifestyle easier to maintain.
- Finding genuine “me time” through hobbies, exercise, nature and relationships can replace alcohol as a default way to cope with stress or unwind.
“"It's okay to have a think about your relationship with alcohol, you know, just like you do with everything else."”
What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? Episode 253 of The Alcohol ReThink Podcast brings that question into focus through a relaxed but honest chat between host Patrick Fox and guest Adam Stokes from Alcohol Change UK. Aimed at men who feel successful on the surface but stuck in unhelpful drinking habits, this conversation gives Alcohol Awareness Week some real-life context.
Adam talks about his role in fundraising and community building, and shares how alcohol has touched his own life – including a random street attack that left him with a broken jaw. As he points out, incidents like that "just wouldn't have happened if alcohol wasn't involved." The pair talk about how deeply alcohol is woven into everyday life – weddings, funerals, football, summer barbecues – and how marketing constantly sells the idea that booze makes everything better.
Patrick jokes about beach ads claiming "this is life" over a bottle of beer, while both of them point out that the real magic is the moment itself, not the drink. For anyone questioning their relationship with alcohol, this chat stays very practical.
Adam explains that Alcohol Awareness Week’s theme, "Alcohol and Me", is all about treating your drinking like any other part of your health: you check your eyes, you check your blood pressure, so why not check your drinking too? He talks about simple online tools that help you see how much you’re really drinking, and reassures those who feel scared to look that the information can only help.
Patrick and Adam also swap ideas for true “me time” that doesn’t involve drinking – football, running, golf, time with pets, time with family – and how community, volunteering and fundraising can give structure, purpose and energy to an alcohol-free life. If you’ve ever wondered whether alcohol is giving more than it’s taking, this conversation might be the nudge to pause, reflect, and ask yourself some honest questions.
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.