Grief. Divorce. Illness. Redundancy.
When life changes suddenly, so can our habits — often without us realising.

In the aftermath of trauma or emotional shock, drinking after trauma often starts quietly — without us realising. At first, it may feel harmless: a glass of wine to calm the nerves, something to help you sleep, or just a way to feel less alone. But over time, the line between coping and dependence can blur — and that’s when the habit starts to take hold.

Recognising this shift isn’t about guilt — it’s about understanding what your mind is really trying to do, and how you can support yourself in a better way.

Why Trauma Often Leads to Increased Drinking

Trauma changes the brain’s emotional regulation system. After a major life event, your nervous system may feel overloaded — anxious, restless, numb, or emotionally raw. Alcohol temporarily dulls those symptoms, which is why it becomes a common coping mechanism.

According to a large-scale analysis of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, people who experience multiple stressful life events — such as bereavement, divorce, or serious illness — are significantly more likely to drink heavily, binge drink, or develop alcohol-related problems.

It’s not a moral failing — it’s the mind seeking relief.

“People often drink to ease emotional pain, but alcohol can quietly prolong the hurt. Real healing begins when we give the subconscious mind the support it needs.”
— Ailsa Frank, hypnotherapist and creator of the Feel Amazing App

Subtle Signs You May Be Drinking to Cope

The shift is often quiet. You may not even realise it’s happening — until your drinking starts feeling more like a reflex than a choice.

Take a moment to reflect. Are you noticing any of these signs?

• You drink more on emotionally difficult days
  
• You use alcohol to sleep or ‘switch off’
  
• Drinking alone has become more common
  
• You feel uneasy at the idea of stopping
  
• Your tolerance has crept up without you realising
  
• You feel emotionally flatter or foggier than you used to
  

Noticing one or more of these doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you — it means there’s something asking to be cared for.

Why We Don’t Notice the Habit Forming

Trauma doesn’t always come with flashing lights — and neither does the drinking that follows. Often, the habit builds through small, repetitive choices. A glass after difficult conversations. A top-up when sleep feels elusive. A drink to feel something after a day of emotional flatness.

This slow repetition is how drinking after trauma becomes routine without you even noticing it. That’s why many people only realise they’ve changed their drinking habits months, or even years, after the trauma itself. The mind is simply trying to soothe pain in the only way it knows how.

“I Didn't Realise How Much I Was Relying on It…”

Ailsa Frank has worked with many people whose drinking increased after a personal crisis — sometimes years after the event itself. It’s not unusual for a divorce, bereavement, or major illness to leave an emotional imprint that stays in the background, quietly shaping behaviours.

“After I lost my mum, I thought I was fine. But I started drinking wine every night — just to feel tired enough to sleep. It crept in slowly. Ailsa’s recordings helped me unravel that habit gently. I’m sleeping better now — without the wine.”
— Feel Amazing App user

How Hypnotherapy Helps You Heal from Within

Most people don’t need more willpower — they need less noise inside their mind. That’s where hypnotherapy works best.

The Feel Amazing App offers short audio sessions designed to help rewire the subconscious patterns that fuel emotional drinking. Ailsa’s recording ‘Take Control of Alcohol’ is specifically created for those who want to reduce or stop drinking in a way that feels calm, natural, and pressure-free.

Instead of trying to fight the habit, hypnotherapy guides your mind toward new ways of thinking — soothing the emotional driver beneath the behaviour.

“You can’t force yourself to feel better. But you can gently change how your mind responds — and that’s where true control comes from.”
— Ailsa Frank

What Healing Might Start to Feel Like

As your subconscious begins to shift, the changes can feel subtle — but powerful. You might notice:

• Feeling calmer in the evenings, even without a drink
  
• Sleeping through the night more peacefully
  
• Reacting less emotionally to stressful news or memories
  
• Saying “no thanks” and genuinely meaning it
  
• Feeling proud of yourself — even on quiet, ordinary days
  

These are the kinds of changes that hypnosis can spark — gently, and in your own time. It’s not about becoming a different person. It’s about remembering who you really are.

Gentle Ways to Support Yourself After a Trauma

If you’re going through something difficult, drinking isn’t your only option — even if it feels like the easiest one. Here are a few gentle alternatives that support true healing:

• Deep breathing or short walks to calm the nervous system
  
• Journalling to release grief, anger, or confusion
  
• Daily hypnotherapy for calm, confidence, and emotional reset
  
• Warm drinks, rest, or quiet music instead of that first glass
  
• Speaking kindly to yourself, even if you’ve had a bad day
  

These tools don’t ask you to be perfect — they help you feel supported while you find your footing again.

It’s Not About Stopping Overnight — It’s About Starting Somewhere

If you’ve been drinking more after a trauma, you’re not broken — you’re human. But you do deserve support that meets you where you are.

Thousands have found relief and clarity through Ailsa’s ‘Take Control of Alcohol’ recording — especially when they felt stuck, emotional, or unsure how to begin. Listening for just ten minutes a day can start to create a sense of calm that makes different choices feel possible.

You don’t need to fix everything at once. You just need to begin.

Start Today with the Feel Amazing App

Whether you’re navigating grief, burnout, or emotional overload, the Feel Amazing App offers support that’s private, practical, and powerfully effective.

Explore the Take Control of Alcohol recording in the Habit Breaking section, or try companion sessions such as ‘Stop Worrying – 10 Minute Daily’ or ‘Good Night’s Sleep’.

Let Ailsa’s soothing voice help you rebuild calm, clarity, and confidence — from the inside out.