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The Girlfriend Doctor w/ Dr. Anna Cabeca

Rethinking Your Relationship with Alcohol with Olivia Farrelly

·47 min·4 clips
The Surgeon General just called for warning labels on alcohol as the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S.
Dr. Anna Cabeca opens the episode by citing recent warnings from the World Health Organization and the U.S. Surgeon General about alcohol being a leading preventable cause of cancer. She introduces the topic of Dry January and shares a 2024 Nature Communications study on female mice, which found increased alcohol consumption during high estrogen phases, suggesting a physiological link for perimenopausal women. Guest Olivia Fairley joins from Ireland; she hosts the No More Booze podcast and has a background in health psychology. Olivia recounts her drinking journey, starting in the 1990s with alcopops, through university party culture, and into adulthood where alcohol became a tool for confidence and stress relief. A turning point came after a wedding in Spain in 2018, when a severe hangover with anxiety and palpitations led her to quit completely. She has been alcohol-free for nearly seven years. Olivia explains the concept of 'gray area drinking,' where individuals aren't dependent but struggle with moderation, often breaking self-set rules. She discusses the cultural shift towards alcohol-free living, noting surveys showing high participation in Dry January in Ireland and the UK. Strategies for quitting include substituting non-alcoholic beverages like kombucha, filling newly gained time with hobbies, and connecting with support communities. Olivia emphasizes that quitting alcohol leads to benefits like improved clarity, sleep, and emotional regulation. Dr. Anna adds insights on alcohol's impact on metabolism, sleep, and liver function, especially for women in menopause. The episode concludes with Olivia recommending a 100-day trial to break conditioning and Dr. Anna sharing her own commitment to 100 alcohol-free days.

As heard by us

A grounded look at leaving alcohol behind while preserving ritual, identity, and the evening reset.

Alcohol anchors a thoughtful conversation about habit, health, and the social world that can form around a nightly drink. The guest describes coming to understand herself as a gray area drinker, deciding the costs had begun to outweigh the benefits, and reaching nearly seven…

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Why you'd press play

You want to rethink the nightly drink without pretending social rituals disappear? This conversation gives you a gentle starting point.

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