Book SummaryThis Naked Mind, by Annie Grace

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of This Naked Mind

In This Naked Mind, Annie Grace reveals the real reason it’s so hard to quit drinking: We often see alcohol as a drink that enhances life experiences and makes us happy, relaxed, and confident. Although in reality, alcohol does none of these things, Grace explains that our unconscious minds still cling to these false beliefs that alcohol is good. To break free from alcohol dependence, you must change your unconscious beliefs and see alcohol as it truly is: an addictive drug that poisons your mind and body. When you change your beliefs, you’ll overcome addiction by...

This Naked Mind Summary Part 1: Understand the Truths About Alcohol and Addiction

Before we look into ways to deconstruct society’s misleading messages about alcohol, it’s important to understand how alcohol and addiction work. In the following sections, we’ll discuss common misconceptions about alcohol, why everyone’s at risk for addiction, and how a denial of that fact leads to alcohol abuse.

Society Misrepresents Alcohol and Addiction

Grace writes that society misrepresents alcohol addiction in two ways: First, it conditions us to believe that alcohol is less dangerous or addictive than it really is. Second, it makes us believe that addiction only happens to people who can’t control their drinking, and that we who do have control are safe from it. Because of this, many people are unaware of the dangers of drinking and the risk of addiction. Let's look at these two misconceptions in more detail.

(Shortform note: Research supports Grace's argument that people largely underestimate the dangers of alcohol and the risk of addiction. According to one study, although 71% of US adults believe alcohol affects drinkers negatively, most think that the effects of alcohol are only _[somewhat...

This Naked Mind Summary Part 2: Change Your Subconscious Beliefs About Alcohol

You might know consciously that alcohol is a dangerous drug that can hook anyone who drinks it. But Grace argues that this knowledge is often not enough to stay sober after you quit alcohol. You also need to change your subconscious mind, which still thinks that alcohol is good and that abstaining from it means losing something valuable.

(Shortform note: In Behave, Robert Sapolsky agrees with Grace that your subconscious beliefs shape your behavior. He explains that people naturally follow the values and beliefs of the culture they grow up in, often without questioning them. This means that if you don’t actively challenge your beliefs, you’ll inherently accept how society portrays alcohol as true. This explains why it’s important to examine and change your subconscious mind, as Grace suggests.)

But what unconscious beliefs might you have? Grace writes that alcohol is a big part of Western society and culture. Drinking is common in many cultural traditions—from weddings to football games. On top of that, advertisements, friends and...

This Naked Mind Summary Part 3: Become Sober Without Formal Treatment

Now that you’ve learned the truth about alcohol, addiction and the misguided reasons why people drink, let’s discuss Grace’s method for recovering from alcohol dependence. According to Grace, quitting alcohol by yourself, without any formal treatment, is much more effective than traditional recovery programs.

Popular programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) make you feel as though you have to accept sobriety, which makes you feel powerless and creates a sense that you’re losing something valuable by not drinking. However, when you choose to quit of your own volition and by changing your unconscious beliefs, you feel more at peace with your decision and are less likely to want to drink again. You choose rather than accept living without alcohol because you know that alcohol has nothing good to offer and that life is better without it.

Can You Mature Out of Addiction?

Some experts argue that quitting alcohol on your own is not only more effective than traditional recovery programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, it’s often the natural outcome for alcohol addiction. They call this “maturing out of addiction,” and explain that,...

Shortform Exercise: Question Your Unconscious Beliefs About Alcohol

According to Grace, your unconscious beliefs about alcohol can make it hard to commit to sobriety. Reflect on these beliefs and whether there’s any truth behind them.

Describe your drinking habits. When, where, and why do you typically drink alcohol?