I am so excited to share this conversation with you because Jennifer Salzman is doing something absolutely vital in our neuro-spicy community. As a certified life coach who works with people self-medicating their ADHD with alcohol, Jennifer understands firsthand what it's like to use drinking as the only tool you have to cope with an undiagnosed neuro-divergent brain.

This episode hits different because Jennifer's story is so many of our stories. The corporate job that felt like torture. The drinking that started as a way to manage overwhelm but became a nightly habit. The moment you realize you're saying "I won't drink tonight" while literally pulling into the liquor store parking lot.

Here's what I love about Jennifer's approach - there's no shame, no labels, and no assumption that you have to hit rock bottom to decide alcohol isn't serving you anymore. She's helping people recognize when they've lost control and giving them actual tools to create healthier coping strategies.

Episode 002: Breaking Free from Alcohol and ADHD Self-Medication with Jennifer Salzman

Intro

I am so excited to share this conversation with you because Jennifer Salzman is doing something absolutely vital in our neuro-spicy community. As a certified life coach who works with people self-medicating their ADHD with alcohol, Jennifer understands firsthand what it's like to use drinking as the only tool you have to cope with an undiagnosed neuro-divergent brain.

This episode hits different because Jennifer's story is so many of our stories. The corporate job that felt like torture. The drinking that started as a way to manage overwhelm but became a nightly habit. The moment you realize you're saying "I won't drink tonight" while literally pulling into the liquor store parking lot.

Here's what I love about Jennifer's approach - there's no shame, no labels, and no assumption that you have to hit rock bottom to decide alcohol isn't serving you anymore. She's helping people recognize when they've lost control and giving them actual tools to create healthier coping strategies.

The Corporate Escape That Led to Purpose

Jennifer spent years in a corporate role that she describes as "torture" - sitting under fluorescent lights, commuting on trains, feeling trapped in a life that didn't fit. Sound familiar? I hear this story constantly from neuro-spicy entrepreneurs who finally realize traditional work environments aren't built for how our brains operate.

The difference for Jennifer was that she was using alcohol to cope with the overwhelm, not realizing she had undiagnosed ADHD until she was about 40. She tried other businesses during her corporate years but couldn't make them work because, as she puts it, "the drinking" combined with not understanding how to manage her time or create systems.

Everything changed when she quit drinking and worked with a coach who helped her understand how to change her subconscious beliefs about alcohol and herself. That's when she knew coaching was her path - all roads had led her there.

The Breakthrough Moment on TikTok

Here's what gets me excited about Jennifer's journey - she didn't start out understanding the full connection between ADHD and alcohol. She was focused on helping people with drinking problems until she did a TikTok video about the link between ADHD and self-medication. That video got over 2 million views.

Listen, when you share your authentic truth and the real reason you're doing this work, that's when you find your people. Jennifer discovered that so many people were resonating with this connection because they were living it too - using alcohol as their only tool to manage their neuro-spicy brains.

Creating Boundaries as Neuro-Spicy Entrepreneurs

One of the biggest lessons Jennifer shared is about creating boundaries when you work from home. She only takes discovery calls on Thursdays because you have to be in a specific mindset when talking to someone who's struggling. Random calls scattered throughout the week at all hours? That's not sustainable.

She also has forward-facing days when she puts on makeup and gets dressed for content creation or client meetings, and backend days when she can work in sweatpants doing taxes or course creation. This kind of intentional scheduling is exactly what we need as neuro-divergent business owners.

The Real Truth About Alcohol and ADHD

The hardest thing Jennifer learned was recognizing all the subconscious programming around alcohol - how we're bombarded with messages that you need it to socialize, celebrate, relax, cope with good things and bad things. It's positioned as this magical solution for every occasion.

But here's what really hit me: alcohol initially seemed to work because it made her feel normal and stopped the constant worry about how she behaved or what others thought. Over time though, it made all those ADHD symptoms worse, especially rejection sensitivity. When you're under the influence and feel attacked, there's no possibility of pausing and being mindful.

Jennifer emphasizes that you don't have to hit rock bottom to decide alcohol isn't serving you. You can simply recognize that it's taking up too much space in your life, that you're breaking promises to yourself, and that you've lost control of your consumption.

Mindfulness as Your New Coping Tool

Instead of relying on willpower (which doesn't work long-term, especially for us neuro-spicys), Jennifer teaches clients to challenge their subconscious beliefs and reframe their thoughts. She uses mindfulness techniques - not necessarily sitting in silence for 10 minutes, but mindful walking, mindful bathing, practical approaches that work for ADHD brains.

The key is learning to respond instead of react. When that rejection sensitivity hits and you get that adrenaline pumping feeling in your gut, you can learn to pause, take a breath, and ask yourself: "Is this reaction appropriate for what actually just happened?"

Building Community Authentically

Jennifer's advice for building community on social media is pure gold: throw away your fear and be authentic. The more real she gets - even posting on those non-forward-facing days when her hair doesn't look perfect - the more people resonate with her message.

She reminds us that everyone gets scared, even presidents and prime ministers speaking to thousands of people. You just have to do it scared because it never stops being scary, but it does get easier.

The Rebel Reboot Program

Jennifer's six-week program helps people create healthier coping strategies and develop what she calls a "user manual" for your ADHD brain. It's mindfulness-based and focuses on finding tools that work specifically for you, because different people have different strengths.

The program recognizes that the mindfulness exercises for avoiding relapse and managing ADHD are actually the same - it's all about getting off autopilot and learning to manage your neuro-divergent brain in healthier ways.

Want to learn more? You can find Jennifer at rebelwithoutadrink.com and amightyrebel.com. She's also amazing on TikTok where she shares real, practical insights about the ADHD-alcohol connection.

The Lightning Round Reveals

Jennifer's current dopamine snack made me smile - she meal preps breaded chicken at the beginning of the week so when she gets that "I forgot I was hungry until I want to kill somebody" feeling, she can just grab a piece of chicken like a little tender. This is exactly the kind of practical self-care that works for our brains!

Her emotional support show is SVU (team Olivia Benson!), she's obsessed with TikTok, and she's been deep in the rabbit hole of researching the ADHD-alcohol connection, discovering how little information is actually out there.

A Message of Hope

Jennifer's final message to neuro-spicy entrepreneurs is about not giving up. We get excited about outcomes and fantasize about the end result before we have systems in place. You can visualize where you want to be, but getting there happens through daily systems and patience.

Some days you'll want to give up and think "who am I kidding?" But if you can step back mindfully and remember that you CAN do this, if you're doing what you love for the right reasons, you'll get there. And if something doesn't work? Pivot. There are always different ways to approach your goals.

The key is self-compassion. Some days won't feel fun, but that doesn't mean you're on the wrong path.

If Jennifer's story resonates with you and you want more insights like this delivered straight to your inbox, make sure to sign up for my newsletter at mindsetmelanie.com/newsletter. I share strategies, stories, and support specifically designed for neuro-spicy entrepreneurs who are building businesses that actually work with their brains, not against them.

Connect with Jennifer Salzman:

• Website: rebelwithoutadrink.com

• Website: amightyrebel.com