01/03/2026
If you’ve ever promised yourself "I’m not drinking tonight," only to find yourself pouring a glass at 5:30 PM, you probably think you have a willpower problem.
You don’t. You have a strategy problem.
I see this constantly with clients. They try to use "white-knuckling" to fix what is actually a nervous system issue.
If your body is screaming "danger" (tight chest, racing heart), no amount of willpower will shut that off. Your body views alcohol as the emergency brake.
To actually change the habit, you have to know what is DRIVING it.
In my latest breakdown on Substack, I map out the Four Camps of Drinking. Most people are trying to apply Camp 1 solutions to a Camp 2 problem.
Here is the quick version:
1️⃣ Camp 1: Emotional Drinkers. You drink to turn down the volume on sadness, loneliness, or shame.
2️⃣ Camp 2: Nervous System Drinkers. You drink to turn off the physical alarm bells (fight or flight) in your body.
3️⃣ Camp 3: Reward Drinkers. You drink because of a ritual script ("I earned this").
4️⃣ Camp 4: Dependent Drinkers. You drink to avoid withdrawal. (This requires medical support, not coaching).
Two people can have the exact same trigger—like a stressful family dinner—but need completely different tools.
The Emotional drinker needs to name the feeling. The Nervous System drinker needs to regulate their body before they can even think.
If you don’t know which camp you are in, you are likely working on the wrong thing.
I put together a full guide to help you sort yourself into your primary camp and get the specific "First Step" tool for each one.
Stop guessing. Read the full breakdown here:
In the next few minutes, you’re going to sort your drinking into one primary driver and get a matching first step you can use today.
