10 Best Podcasts to Help You Quit Drinking in 2026 (Honest Reviews from a Sobriety Podcast Host)
- Apr 15
- 7 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
I've been running the Sober Motivation podcast for a few years now, which means I've spent more hours than I can count listening to sobriety podcasts. Partly for research. Partly because in those early days of quitting drinking, the right episode at the right moment saved me more than once.
People ask me all the time "Brad, what podcasts should I listen to if I'm trying to quit?" So I finally sat down and put the list together. These are the ones I actually listen to, the ones I recommend to friends, and the ones that keep coming up when people in our community talk about what helped them get and stay sober.
I put my own show at the top because, well, it's mine. But the rest are here because they've earned it. I pulled real review counts and real listener quotes where I could, because I want you to hear what real people are saying not just me. Each podcast title below links straight to Apple Podcasts so you can tap any one that sounds like your speed and press play.
I'll go first so it's out of the way. Sober Motivation is the podcast I started because when I was early in sobriety, all I wanted were stories from people who had been through what I was going through. Not clinical advice but stories. Every episode I sit down with someone who lost something to alcohol and built something better without it. Rock bottom, the turning point, and what life actually looks like on the other side.
This podcast was one of the most important factors in starting my sobriety. Hearing my story in so many other people's stories was so comforting.
Brad is so real and so kind, and his guests' stories are incredibly raw and inspiring.
Ratings: 4.9 stars, 1,070+ ratings on Apple Podcasts
Best for: Anyone who needs proof other people made it out, and wants tactical lessons from people further down the road.
Listen: Apple Podcasts · Watch on YouTube
Sober Dave is a friend of mine and one of the most consistent voices in the UK sobriety space. One For The Road became a top 10 Apple Podcast in its first year and racked up over 300,000 downloads in that window and millions since. When you listen, it's obvious why. Dave is calm, curious, and his guests are incredible. He has a knack for making people feel safe enough to say the real thing on the mic. If your brain is the kind that spirals at night when you're trying to fall asleep without a drink, throw this one on. It's grounded and human.
Best for: Long-form interview lovers who want stories from all walks of life, UK and beyond.
Listen: Apple Podcasts
Annie Grace wrote the book This Naked Mind, and her podcast is the audio extension of that work. Her whole premise is that willpower isn't the answer — understanding why alcohol has a hold on you is. She unpacks the neuroscience, the marketing, the cultural conditioning, all without shaming you for having struggled in the first place. If you're the kind of person who wants to think your way out of drinking, this is your podcast.
Annie is remarkable and has helped listeners allow themselves grace and compassion.
With Annie Grace I'm starting to make sense of everything and feel hopeful for the first time.
Ratings: 4.8 stars, 2,400+ ratings on Apple Podcasts
Best for: Science-curious, book-loving people who want a non-judgmental, information-first approach.
Listen: Apple Podcasts
Technically Huberman Lab isn't a quit drinking podcast. But his episode "What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain & Health" might be the single most shared sobriety resource on the internet. If you're still on the fence about whether you really need to stop, go listen to it. He walks through exactly what alcohol does to your gut, your sleep, your hormones, your brain — all backed by peer-reviewed research, with zero moralizing. A lot of people in our community tell me this was their "oh, wait" moment.
Best for: Skeptics, fact-driven people, and anyone who needs the science to decide.
Listen: hubermanlab.com
Recovery Elevator has been around a long time, and Paul Churchill is a calm, steady presence in the space. Long-form interviews, released weekly, with people from every background you can imagine. Great to binge while you're doing dishes or walking the dog.
Found this podcast the day I decided to quit drinking. Listening to first-hand stories felt like being in the room with other people.
I've been listening for years, it keeps getting better.
Best for: Anyone who wants volume — this is a deep catalog you can disappear into for months.
Listen: Apple Podcasts
If you're a woman, especially a high-achieving woman, a mom, or someone in corporate this one is basically built for you. Casey is a coach who knows her stuff, and she's sitting at over 2 million downloads and the top 0.5% of podcasts globally. She does tactical episodes ("how to get through your first week," "how to handle social events") and interviews with quit-lit authors and recovery voices.
This podcast was key to me quitting alcohol. Casey's practical tips are invaluable.
I'm over 9 months sober and give so much credit to Casey and all her amazing resources.
Best for: Sober-curious women, high-achievers, and moms.
Listen: Apple Podcasts
Duane is a licensed therapist, and this is the podcast I recommend when someone asks me for something more clinical. He interviews researchers, clinicians, and people in recovery, and he has a warm, compassionate way of explaining addiction science that doesn't make you feel like a case study.
This podcast and the hosts helped save my life. It got me through tough times and provided tools for my mental health and recovery.
Duane models incredible love and compassion while describing firm boundaries and self-care.
Ratings: 4.7 stars, 1,031 ratings on Apple Podcasts
Best for: Anyone who wants a mental-health-informed, professionally-grounded approach.
Listen: Apple Podcasts
Here's the thing about getting sober, sometimes you just need to laugh. Sober Awkward is two Australians who won Best Well-Being at the Australian Podcast Awards and are sitting on over 8 million downloads. They talk about sober dating disasters, shame hangovers, awkward parties, parenting without prosecco — all of it. Funny, honest, and deeply relatable.
Still sober! I started listening back in August 2022 when I'd started yet another attempt at getting sober.
Best for: People tired of the serious tone who want proof sobriety can be fun.
Listen: Apple Podcasts
Mary pulls together conversations with people in long-term sobriety plus experts in trauma, neuroscience, yoga, and holistic recovery. Sarah Rusbatch shows up often as a guest, which is a treat. If the yoga-meditation-healing side of sobriety resonates with you, this is your lane.
Ratings: 4.9 stars, 54 ratings on Apple Podcasts (small but rapidly growing listener base)
Best for: Listeners who want a wellness-oriented, holistic approach to getting and staying sober.
Listen: Apple Podcasts
Madeline is young, warm, and incredibly honest about the messy middle of sobriety not just the "I got sober and everything is perfect" narrative. If you're a younger listener, or you just want someone who talks like a friend instead of a teacher, start here.
Madeline is a ray of light and I'm so grateful for this positive resource that always reminds me why I'm happier sober!
This podcast has become such an important part of my sobriety journey.
Ratings: 4.9 stars, 633 ratings on Apple Podcasts
Best for: Younger listeners and anyone who wants relatable, hopeful conversations.
Listen: Apple Podcasts
How to Pick the Right Podcast For You
Honest advice: don't try to listen to all 10 at once. Pick one. If you're science-brained, start with Huberman or The Addicted Mind. If you're a woman, go straight to Hello Someday. If you just want stories from people who've been there, start with Sober Motivation, One For The Road, or Recovery Elevator. If you need a laugh, Sober Awkward.
The right podcast is the one you'll actually press play on tomorrow.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best podcast for someone who wants to quit drinking?
If you're starting from zero, Sober Motivation or This Naked Mind. One gives you story and emotional momentum. The other gives you understanding and neuroscience. Between them you get both sides of what most people need in week one.
Are podcasts actually helpful for quitting drinking?
Yes — and there's research backing it up. Isolation is one of the biggest drivers of relapse, and a podcast in your ear during a walk, a commute, or a sleepless night makes you feel less alone. It's not the whole solution, but it's a real one.
Do I have to be in AA to listen to these podcasts?
No. Almost none of these are AA-specific. They're broad-tent sobriety content — stories, science, humor, coaching, community. You don't need a program to benefit from any of them.
What if I'm only trying to cut back, not quit completely?
This Naked Mind and Huberman Lab are your best starting points. Both meet you where you are without pushing a label.
Final Thoughts
Quitting drinking is lonely. Podcasts helped me feel like I had company on the hardest days — and they've done the same for a lot of people in our community. If you only start with one, start with Sober Motivation. If you can do two, add Sober Dave's One For The Road. From there, follow your curiosity.
Whichever one you pick, press play. That's the only step that matters today.
Start Here: A Sober Motivation Episode That Changes Minds
If you want a place to actually start, listen to Brittany's episode — "She Didn't Want to Be Alive. Then She Quit Drinking Alcohol." It's one of the most raw, honest stories we've shared about a two-bottle-a-night drinker who rebuilt her life in 11 months. Or browse the full Sober Motivation podcast library and find the episode that meets you where you are today.