Stompcast

In the final episode of our Dry January mini-series, Dr Alex George is joined by a true footballing legend. Tony Adams had an extraordinary career at both club and international level, winning multiple league titles with Arsenal and becoming the most successful captain in the club’s history.In part one, Tony shares how alcoholism turned his life upside down at the height of his career. He opens up about the painful ways alcohol affected his relationships and unpacks the pivotal moment he decided to put down the drink for good…Plus, Tony discusses the importance of giving people struggling with addiction the right support and resources - and explains why it took him so long to realise he had a problem with alcohol.Follow @tonyadamsofficial and find out more about his recovery programmes at Six Mental Health Addiction and Sporting Chance. Follow along with Tony’s Staying Stopped February campaign here.If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there is support available:The 12 Step ProgrammeAlcoholics AnonymousNarcotics AnonymousGamblers AnonymousTurning PointOrder Alex’s latest book Am I Normal? - out now!Order Happy Habits - out now! Follow the podcast on Instagram @thestompcastGet the new, pocket guide version of The Mind Manual nowDownload Mettle: the mental fitness app for men

In part three, Professor Charles Knowles and Dr Alex George discuss the impact quitting alcohol has had on their lives, the importance of not giving into peer pressure and how to unlock the joys of alcohol-free living.Plus, Charles shares why he believes you can’t ‘unlearn’ addiction, rather you have to learn how to not drink alcohol.Check out Charles’ book Why We Drink Too Much: The Hidden Science of Just One More. By using our affiliate bookshop you’ll help fund Stompcast by earning a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too!Pre-order Alex’s latest book Am I Normal? - out 15th JanuaryOrder Happy Habits - out now! Follow the podcast on Instagram @thestompcastGet the new, pocket guide version of The Mind Manual nowDownload Mettle: the mental fitness app for men

In part two, Professor Charles Knowles unpacks the effect alcohol actually has on our bodies, how alcohol impacts our brain function and why a challenge like Dry January can be hugely beneficial to our health.Plus, Charles and Dr Alex George discuss whether there is ever a ‘safe’ amount of alcohol to drink and why we need more education about the physical health risks of drinking.Check out Charles’ book Why We Drink Too Much: The Hidden Science of Just One More. By using our affiliate bookshop you’ll help fund Stompcast by earning a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too!Pre-order Alex’s latest book Am I Normal? - out 15th JanuaryOrder Happy Habits - out now! Follow the podcast on Instagram @thestompcastGet the new, pocket guide version of The Mind Manual nowDownload Mettle: the mental fitness app for men

Charles Knowles is Professor of Surgery at Queen Mary University of London, and a recovering alcoholic who has written about his experience with addiction in his new book ‘Why We Drink Too Much: The Hidden Science of Just One More’.In part one, Charles joins Dr Alex George to discuss why some of us can drink more than others, why humans have drank alcohol throughout history and whether it is actually possible to ever have ‘just one more’...Plus, Charles unpacks his concept of the ‘Three Cs’ when reflecting on alcohol consumption and shares how the brain’s reward pathway shapes our drinking habits.Check out Charles’ book Why We Drink Too Much: The Hidden Science of Just One More. By using our affiliate bookshop you’ll help fund Stompcast by earning a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too!Pre-order Alex’s latest book Am I Normal? - out 15th JanuaryOrder Happy Habits - out now! Follow the podcast on Instagram @thestompcastGet the new, pocket guide version of The Mind Manual nowDownload Mettle: the mental fitness app for men

In part three, Clare Pooley shares some of the best lessons she’s learnt from over ten years of sobriety, to help encourage you through your own Dry January journey.Plus, Clare and Dr Alex George discuss their favourite parts of alcohol-free living and give some actionable advice for overcoming the hardest parts of being sober.Follow @clare_pooley and check out her book The Sober Diaries. By using our affiliate bookshop you’ll help fund Stompcast by earning a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too!Pre-order Alex’s latest book Am I Normal? - out 15th JanuaryOrder Happy Habits - out now! Follow the podcast on Instagram @thestompcastGet the new, pocket guide version of The Mind Manual nowDownload Mettle: the mental fitness app for men

In part two, Clare Pooley opens up about the feelings of shame that surrounded her early days of sobriety, and how starting her blog helped navigate the initial period of alcohol-free living.Plus, Clare and Dr Alex George debunk the myth that you can’t have fun when sober, and why it’s vital you continue socialising when taking part in Dry January… Follow @clare_pooley and check out her book The Sober Diaries. By using our affiliate bookshop you’ll help fund Stompcast by earning a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too!Pre-order Alex’s latest book Am I Normal? - out 15th JanuaryOrder Happy Habits - out now! Follow the podcast on Instagram @thestompcastGet the new, pocket guide version of The Mind Manual nowDownload Mettle: the mental fitness app for men

Happy New Year Stompers! To mark Dry January, we’re releasing a special mini-series exploring what alcohol-free living is actually like, to hopefully encourage you to give it a go yourself in 2026.This week, Dr Alex George is joined by Clare Pooley. Clare is a best-selling author, blogger and public speaker who’s had her own journey with alcohol - and has been sober for the past ten years!In this episode, Clare shares how she first recognised she had a problem with alcohol, what inspired her to quit drinking and what her first sober month was like.Plus, Clare and Alex discuss the impact that stopping drinking has had on their lives, and why it’s so important to realise that alcohol was never your best friend in the first place…Follow @clare_pooley and check out her book The Sober Diaries. By using our affiliate bookshop you’ll help fund Stompcast by earning a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too!Pre-order Alex’s latest book Am I Normal? - out 15th JanuaryOrder Happy Habits - out now! Follow the podcast on Instagram @thestompcastGet the new, pocket guide version of The Mind Manual nowDownload Mettle: the mental fitness app for men

In part three, Professor Gina Rippon unpacks whether there are any tangible differences between male and female brains, what brain imaging can tell us about autism and how stereotypes and early childhood environments shape the male and female experience.Plus, Gina and Dr Alex George discuss how through understanding how autism shows up differently, we can create a more inclusive society.Follow @ginarippon1 and check out the books mentioned in this episode, The Lost Girls of Autism: The Untold Story of Women on the Spectrum and The Gendered Brain: The New Neuroscience that Shatters the Myth of the Female Brain. By using our affiliate bookshop you’ll help fund Stompcast by earning a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too!Pre-order Alex’s latest book Am I Normal? - out 15th JanuaryOrder Happy Habits - out now! Follow the podcast on Instagram @thestompcastGet the new, pocket guide version of The Mind Manual nowDownload Mettle: the mental fitness app for men

In part two, Professor Gina Rippon explains how autistic women have been historically overlooked, the ways autism presents differently in women compared to men and how the ‘male spotlight’ effect has impacted how autism is viewed in society.Plus, Gina and Dr Alex George discuss the common autistic trait of ‘masking’ and unpack how being othered socially could literally change your brain…Follow @ginarippon1 and check out the books mentioned in this episode, The Lost Girls of Autism: The Untold Story of Women on the Spectrum and The Gendered Brain: The New Neuroscience that Shatters the Myth of the Female Brain. By using our affiliate bookshop you’ll help fund Stompcast by earning a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too!Pre-order Alex’s latest book Am I Normal? - out 15th JanuaryOrder Happy Habits - out now! Follow the podcast on Instagram @thestompcastGet the new, pocket guide version of The Mind Manual nowDownload Mettle: the mental fitness app for men