Ep 113: The Courage To Become Someone New with Andrew Drasen | Rethinking Alcohol |

How do you truly start over, and what does real reinvention look like? In this episode, Anna Donaghey talks with Andrew Drasen, author, speaker, and survivor about life beyond sobriety, diving into identity, purpose, and hope.

Andrew’s journey goes far beyond addiction, spanning imprisonment, loss, and the search for meaning. He shares his struggles with self-image, rebellion, and choices that led to incarceration, as well as the heartbreak of losing loved ones, including his fiancée Caroline.

Together, Anna and Andrew explore how we cling to unsustainable identities, and how radical acceptance, creative rebuilding, and writing his memoir A Vision of Hope became acts of healing. This conversation is a reminder that change is possible. Healing isn’t the end, it’s the beginning.

Here are the Highlights:

00:00 Rethinking drinking and identity

01:15 Andrew’s story: addiction, loss, and the reckoning

02:42 Childhood, self-image, and early substance use

04:04 Identity as “life of the party” and rule-breaking

07:58 The snowball effect: risky behaviour and its consequences

09:40 False bravado, ego, and self-worth

13:01 First arrest and inevitability of trouble

15:49 Escalating to heroin and survival mode

17:47 Turning points: a break in sentencing and glimpses of hope

20:00 Recovery, 12-step meetings, and writing

21:32 Grieving loss, healing through creativity

22:07 Losing Caroline, deep identity work, and transformation

33:29 Andrew’s recovery framework

38:28 If you’re afraid of change: the courage to try

40:00 Recovery as a beginning, not an end.

Anna’s book "What Are You Thirsty For? Rethinking Alcohol and The Life You Want", is now out in the world for you to buy!

Order your copy, access her free tools and explore her coaching programmes at: https://thebigdrinkrethink.com/

The Thirsty For More Mindset Lab is Anna’s ‘inner circle’ - a calm, thoughtful space where conversations continue, patterns are explored, and things begin to make sense. Find out more at: https://thirstyformore.substack.com/

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About the host Anna:

Anna is a certified Alcohol Mindset Coach, trained by Annie Grace of This Naked Mind. Drawing on her own journey out of alcohol addiction, she now helps others explore and control their drinking. With a career spanning 25 years as a Strategist in the Advertising industry, she combines her own lived experiences, with great insight into what makes us tick and what influences us to behave the way we do.

Connect with Anna:

Website: thebigdrinkrethink.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/annadonaghey

Instagram: instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink

Produced by winteraudio.co.uk

About Andew Drasen:

Andrew Drasen is the author of A Vision of Hope and the creator of a 90-day framework that helps people discover identity, clarify direction, and build purpose-driven lives.

His mission is to help people see not just who they are, but who they can become - transforming pain into growth and purpose.

Listeners can visit Andrew’s website at avisionofhopebook.com to download the free preview pack, preorder the book, or sign up for the newsletter. It’s the best place to access all of his resources and stay connected.

Connect with Andrew:

Website: https://www.avisionofhopebook.com/