HALT and Quit Drinking with Carlos NavarroHALT and Quit Drinking with Carlos Navarro
Alcohol Tipping Point
This was one of the most fun interviews I’ve ever done. On the show today is Carlos Navarro. Carlos has been entertaining audiences for 22 years. He is co-host of the #1 talk show in Orlando, Fla., iHeartRadio's "Monsters in the Morning," and he's known for his scene-stealing roles in some of film and TV's biggest cultural phenomena, including "Bloodline," "The Walking Dead," and most recently, Marvel's "Hawkeye" He has been broke, jobless, and self-destructive, drank too much, partied too hard, earned three mugshots, and landed in jail after an infamous on-stage fight in 2006 with a former radio colleague. But Carlos turned it around in 2007 by self-motivating, doing the work on himself to be a better human, digging deeper spiritually, and yes, giving up drinking. When he changed his thinking and gave up alcohol, it became a pivotal moment in his life and career taking off. Seven years sober, he’s now sharing the “what worked for me” practices and lessons from his “mugshot to Marvel” journey to recovery and a more fulfilled life in the hopes of uplifting others. We chat about: Carlos's experience growing up in a Latin family with drinking How HALTing can help you rethink the drink The challenges of staying sober in the entertainment industry Rearranging furniture as a top tip to stop drinking habit Carlos’s other top tips to quit drinking And more! This is one of my favorite interviews because it will make you laugh and make you think. Enjoy! Find Carlos: Instagram: @tothetopcarlos Website: www.itstartswithatap.com Free resources from Alcohol Tipping Point: 100 Questions to Change Your Drinking: https://www.alcoholtippingpoint.com/100questions Dry Guide: https://www.alcoholtippingpoint.com/dryguide 10 Day Break: https://www.alcoholtippingpoint.com/10dayholiday Mocktail Recipe Book: https://www.alcoholtippingpoint.com/mocktailrecipes Alcohol Tipping Point Blog: https://www.alcoholtippingpoint.com/blog Find Alcohol Tipping Point at: Website: http://www.alcoholtippingpoint.com/ Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/alcoholtippingpoint Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AlcoholTippingPoint **Please leave a review and subscribe s...
52:31•25 Jan 2023
From Mugshots to Marvel: Carlos Navarro on Quitting Alcohol with HALT and WHAT
Episode Overview
- Questioning your drinking is itself a strong indicator that alcohol may be a problem, so it helps to get very clear on your reasons for wanting to quit.
- Carlos uses his WHAT check (weak, hungry, angry, tired) and the HALT idea to avoid making big decisions or reaching for alcohol when his energy is low.
- Practical environmental changes – like rearranging furniture or throwing out favourite cocktail glasses – can break old drinking patterns at home.
- Writing things down in a simple notebook and ticking off small actions gives the brain a sense of progress and can replace alcohol as a source of reward.
- Telling one trusted person about quitting, rather than announcing it widely at first, can reduce pressure and make early sobriety feel more manageable.
“If you are thinking about quitting drinking, then that is the first sign that you probably need to quit drinking.”
Curious about how others manage their sobriety journey while working in booze-soaked industries? This chat between host Deb Masner and actor/radio host Carlos Navarro brings humour, honesty and a lot of practical tools to anyone rethinking their drinking. Carlos shares how growing up with an alcoholic mum pulled alcohol into his life early, and how his own drinking spiralled into fights, arrests and an infamous on-stage brawl that cost him almost everything.
He talks candidly about quitting twice, and why the second time stuck: “When you make a decision, there are no choices.” His "mugshot to Marvel" story – from jail to roles on shows like The Walking Dead and Hawkeye – is framed not as a brag, but as proof that life can change when alcohol is no longer in charge. A big highlight is Carlos’ spin on the classic HALT tool.
He laughs that he’d never heard the acronym before, but already had his own version: WHAT – weak, hungry, angry, tired. “If I’m any of these things, don’t make the choice,” he says, explaining how he uses it when tempted by alcohol or about to snap at someone.
Listeners looking for concrete tips will appreciate his no-nonsense suggestions: rearrange your furniture, throw out the cocktail glasses that scream ‘drink here’, and grab a cheap new set to signal a fresh start. He’s adamant about notebooks too – writing tiny wins like “made coffee” or “day two, no drinking” to give the brain the hit of achievement it used to chase in a bottle.
Carlos also talks about being sober in the entertainment scene, how castmates supported his alcohol-free choices, and why he tells people to ask themselves, very honestly, why they want to stop drinking. As he puts it, “If you are thinking about quitting drinking, then that is the first sign that you probably need to quit drinking.” If you’re wondering whether it’s time to change your own relationship with alcohol, what’s your why?
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