13/10/2026
For a lot of people, the hardest part of cutting back isn’t the drink. It’s the worry about what happens to their friendships when they stop.
Theo Von doesn’t pretend that worry is unfounded. If you start doing something different, yes, some friends will react. But you’ll also bring something new to the table, and people get curious.
Jordan Peterson adds the part nobody likes to hear: you’ll find out who your friends are. If you’re putting your life together and someone objects, “those are not friends. Those are just people you know.”
He gives two tests for a real friend. You can tell them bad news, and they’ll listen without calling you an idiot or telling you about something worse that happened to them. And you can tell them good news, and they’re genuinely glad for you, not jealous, not one-upping you.
If people get in the way of you getting your life together, he says, that’s useful to know. Letting them go isn’t just better for you. It might be better for them too.
Which of your friends would pass both tests?
If you’re worried about your own drinking, your GP is a good first conversation to have.
🎥 This Past Weekend with Theo Von
QuitDrinking AlcoholFree