For some autistic people and people with ADHD, alcohol can seem to make everyday life easier. A new online course explores what drinking may be helping people to manage and how support can respond more effectively.
Alcohol can take the edge off sensory overload, make social situations feel more manageable or quiet racing thoughts. It can also offer a way to switch off after a day spent masking, coping with competing demands or holding everything together.
When drinking starts to cause concern, however, it may be difficult to know where to turn. Some autistic people and people with ADHD do not recognise themselves in conventional messages about alcohol problems. They may not consider themselves dependent, or may feel that available support does not understand how neurodivergence shapes their relationship with alcohol.
Monika Labich is a qualified counsellor specialising in alcohol dependency and coaching for autistic people and people with ADHD. Drawing on her professional experience and her own experience of autism and ADHD, she has created Tipsy Free Unmasked, an online course for adults who want to understand their drinking and consider making a change.
The course does not require a formal diagnosis. It is intended for people who want to drink less, stop drinking or simply gain a clearer understanding of the role alcohol plays in their lives.
Its approach is non-judgemental and strengths based, focusing on curiosity rather than labels or instructions.
Looking behind the drinking
Neurodivergence can affect how a person experiences sensory demands, social expectations, executive functioning, emotions and burnout. Alcohol may provide temporary relief from some of these pressures, even when it creates other problems or the relief does not last.
Understanding the purpose alcohol serves can make it easier to identify what might help. If drinking has become a way of coping with an overwhelming environment, for example, change may involve reducing sensory demands or creating time to decompress, as well as addressing the drinking itself.
Tipsy Free Unmasked explores cravings and urges, hyperfocus, the difficulty of finding something to do instead of drinking, and the challenge some people experience in recognising feelings or physical needs. It also considers the influence of sensory overload, masking and the pressure to meet expectations that may not fit the individual.
Rather than assuming that everyone should follow the same plan, learners are encouraged to notice the situations, feelings and needs connected with their urge to drink. They can then explore alternatives that might provide comfort, stimulation, connection or an opportunity to unwind.
This does not mean that a difficult day, a strong craving or a return to drinking erases progress. The emphasis is on taking realistic steps, recognising personal strengths and developing a more useful understanding of what is happening.
A resource for professionals
The course is also designed for professionals who want to understand what an autistic person or a person with ADHD may be experiencing. Barriers can arise when support relies on assumptions about communication, motivation, routines or what change should look like.
Recognising why alcohol feels useful to someone can open up a more constructive conversation. It can also help practitioners consider whether support needs to be adapted, particularly when a standard approach adds to sensory, cognitive or emotional demands.
Tipsy Free Unmasked can be completed online at the learner’s own pace. It combines explanations, reflection and practical ideas that people can consider in relation to their own lives. The course has been endorsed by Wired Differently Ltd, which supports neurodivergent people.
It is an educational resource rather than a diagnostic tool or substitute for clinical care. Its starting point is that people do not need to wait for a crisis before becoming curious about their drinking: What am I getting from alcohol? What is it helping me manage? What else might support me?
Tipsy Free Unmasked isn’t another programme built around simply telling you to drink less.
It explores what can sit behind alcohol use for neurodivergent adults – sensory overload, emotional regulation, masking, dopamine, anxiety and the need to finally switch off.
Created by an experienced AuDHD practitioner. Self-paced. No shame. No rigid recovery model. Click the link below to get the full course for the introductory price of £69.
Find out more about Monika at www.mlcoachingandtherapy.co.uk
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This sponsored content was created on behalf of Monika Labich Therapy and Coaching.Â