Episode 7

Vic and Jayne - Sober, Alcohol Free Stories and finding your tribe

Published on: 1st November, 2024

Today I talk to Jayne about some of her best tools, how the reality of telling friends and family that she was no longer drinking was way easier than she anticipated, and how without alcohol her future is full of promise because she has more time and energy to invest in herself!

Transcript
Speaker:

hi, everybody.

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I'm Victoria and I don't drink.

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Tonight, I'm going to be

talking to Jane about how she

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immersed herself in Quitline.

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Whitley and podcasts and found

herself a new saber family who.

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Who gave her just what she needed

to help ditch the booze and go

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on to change her life image.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Hi Jane.

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It's lovely to see you tonight.

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How are you?

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Oh, good.

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Thank you.

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Nice to see you

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

Nice to see you too.

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Yes.

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We hear from each other quite

a lot on WhatsApp, don't we?

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But it's nice to actually see you as well.

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So for people listening, we're on a

little webcam here so we can see each

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other even though you can't see us.

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But it is lovely because we live in

very different parts of the country,

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so it's good to be able to get

together even virtually like this.

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Jane, thank you for coming on to

support me with this venture to try

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and help other people out there who,

maybe feeling a bit like you did when

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you made the decision to stop drinking

or in the months leading up to that.

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So what I want to do this evening

is just ask you to tell your story.

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And then we'll see where we go with

that and some of your challenges and

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bits and bobs, but if I can just hand

over to you, so if you tell us a bit

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about you and then where this alcohol

free story began, that would be great.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

If you were to go onto my Soapbarista's

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members page, it would say that

I've been a member for 10 years.

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But actually, I've been

off the booze for four.

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So I've been questioning my

alcohol intake quite a long time

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googling, am I drinking too much,

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but I think my story goes back a lot

longer because I think I, started drinking

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about when I was in my teens, about 14.

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And I was always up for a laugh.

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I was drinking more than anybody else.

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Everybody called me a funny drunk,

really matter so much that I was

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drinking so much to everybody else.

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It was never a problem for anybody

else, probably a problem for me.

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Apart from later on in life when my

husband was having to put me to bed

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or deal with all that aftermath.

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But early doors, no, it wasn't, it was

just, I was a, I was up for a laugh.

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And so anyway, if we fast forward

a little bit when I started

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Googling am I drinking too much?

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I think probably my story starts

in:

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And I'd always done these

months and everybody said,

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Oh, you've done really well.

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You're off the booze for a month.

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And I'm thinking, I don't have a problem.

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I can do a month.

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What's the big issue?

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But what happened with this last one

I've noticed was that I did Did Sober

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October, and then in November, I drank

twice as much, so I drank my October's

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quota in November as, alongside November.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

You made up for it.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Yeah, so making up for it.

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So then Christmas came and then

I decided to do oh, that was it,

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Christmas, we went out for a Christmas

night out, and there was somebody

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there that I'd stopped drinking.

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I was absolutely, I was fascinated by it.

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I was asking her questions while

drinking me red wine, all about

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her story and why she'd given up.

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And it wasn't that

she'd had a rock bottom.

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It was that I think it was a

brother that had alcohol problems

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and she she just had enough of it.

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She said, I was coming in every night.

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I was making tea and I was

drinking starting then.

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I was.

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buying red wine to put in the spag bowl,

and then I'd finish the bottle myself.

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And

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She was, and it was just like

like I say, not a rock bottom,

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just she, it was creeping up.

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Anyway, I found, anyway, she, she

recommended a book to me, and I

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think it was Alcohol Lied to Me.

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But I'd already ordered Sober Diaries,

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Okay.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

that as well.

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Christmas came usual

booze filled Christmas.

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So then I decided to do dry

January, did dry January.

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And my husband was asking me

we would, we booked to go to

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Liverpool on the 1st of February.

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And he was talking about drinking when

we got there and I said, Oh I might not.

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I might do this a bit differently.

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longer.

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And we said, Oh if that's

the case, that's fine.

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So we went to Liverpool, but then

we go to the cavern club and I

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can't go in the cavern club and not

have a beer I'm in the cavern club.

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And then we had a meal after we had half

a bottle of wine, of wine between us.

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And then I stopped and I

thought, I can do this.

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I can moderate.

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And then it creeped up and it

creeped up and then lockdown happened

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because this was 2020 by now.

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And that was just, every

night was Friday night.

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It was just more and more.

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It was getting more than

I'd ever drank before.

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So it was getting up to, it was

getting up to two bottles of wine.

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And in one night.

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And I started listening to podcasts then,

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Everybody went out for

the walk, didn't they?

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In lockdown.

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To alcohol free podcasts.

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And then I read Annie Grace and The Naked

Mind, and that was just a game changer.

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It got

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yep.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

head.

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It just made me think completely different

to anything I'd ever read before.

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And I can remember sat in Asda car park,

reading it on my Kindle, because we'd

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gone to collect my daughter from uni.

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Reading it on my Kindle and

deciding at that moment I'm going

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to have a drink tonight and then

tomorrow I'm going to start.

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And that was, so my first

th,:

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So That's really much

my backstory drinking.

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Sorry if it was a bit long winded Vic.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

No, God, no, not at all.

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That's very short winded, actually.

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Wow.

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Okay.

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So a few things that you

spoke about in there.

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One was lockdown.

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A few people have mentioned that.

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On this podcast and we haven't really

gone into it in much detail, but I

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think there's probably a lot of people

where lockdown really exacerbated the

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amount that they were drinking because

you're so right all of a sudden.

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There's no rules, is there really?

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You don't even need to get dressed.

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You can just wear your pajamas on teams.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

the panic I felt when I thought, what

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if they stop people buying alcohol?

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What if

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

so funny you say that.

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I remember messaging one of my friends

and saying, what if it becomes an

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issue and you can't get hold of some.

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And between us, we kept

messaging back and forward.

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We were trying to find a supplier of wine.

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I've just remembered that

because you've said it.

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And I think we found somewhere

where you could order like a whole

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case or, and we ordered like cases.

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Just, oh gosh, that's, I'd

completely forgotten about that.

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But yeah, I had exactly the same panic.

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Everyone else was wondering about

toilet roll and fruit and veg.

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I was a bit worried about the pinot.

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Terrible, isn't it?

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We've all done that,

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

But like I say, I never

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actually had a rock bottom.

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It was more what it was doing to

me and how it was making me feel.

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My family, it saddened my

family a bit, my drinking.

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Not in a way that I embarrass

them, because a lot of my

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drinking was in, in the house.

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More that they could see that

it was making me very unhappy.

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And I don't think, I don't think my kids,

I mean I say kids, they're grown up now.

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I don't think they like hearing me drunk,

slurring my words, repeating myself.

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Laughing at things that weren't funny.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

Definitely.

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So what was it making you feel like then?

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The drinking.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Just making me forget.

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plotting things out, things

that I've never dealt with for

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a lot, for most of my life.

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It's funny because I've just

recently therapy this last few months

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

we talked about my drinking

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and My therapist asked me, why

did you start drinking at 14?

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And I sat there and I thought

about it and I said, I said,

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nobody's ever asked me that before.

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And I said, and to be honest,

I just thought it was because

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what everybody else was doing.

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When I look back at that time,

there was a lot going on.

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There was, my dad was poorly.

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Had to work seven days a week.

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She used to work at a local public

school, so it was open a lot

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longer than our average schools.

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She was working seven days a week.

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And

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it was quite when I think back,

it was quite a tough time.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

So I think it was escapism.

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it started very young for me

that was the habit that I used to

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escape and just block things out

and just try and forget about it.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: It's

very common, isn't it, for it to be

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used in that way as something to just

Yeah, I have so far not had any therapy.

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Although everybody does advocate

it's a great thing to do when you've

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stopped drinking because underneath

there's probably a reason somewhere

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where you did drink too much.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Yeah.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: think

back to when I first started and I was

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14, I think I do have some thoughts

of loneliness and trying to fit in

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and wanting people to like me and it

did give me a different confidence

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to what I had every day at school.

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And I wonder if that was

something to do with the, teaching

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myself, this is a good thing.

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And then, obviously the same story as

most people, it carries on into adulthood

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and then it got a bit out of hand.

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Yeah, it's worth exploring that.

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I think I might go for the old

therapy route at some point as

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well when I'm ready to face it all.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Yeah.

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And also, don't be put off if you

don't get the right therapist, because

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I've had a few goes at therapy and

they've not always were, but this last

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one, this, and it's a man, which, it's

the first time I've had a guy and.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Okay,

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

He's been brilliant.

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He's been, he's absolutely brilliant.

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In fact, he's just got

a promotion as well.

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He'll

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: right.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603: on

in January, but it's just think that I

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don't know whether that's a factor for me.

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I don't know.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

Yeah you're sure you'll explore

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it all with your therapist.

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I'm not going to ask you to talk

about all of that for everybody but

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needless to say, it was, you were

probably trying to get away from

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something that wasn't quite right.

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And I think that's quite a

familiar story for lots of people.

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So you read the couple of books,

you decided you were going to stop.

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You had your final night,

you got up in the morning.

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What was that like?

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And what did you do?

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

I just,

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because I think about the April,

I think I tried the hundred day

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And I fell about day 10, day

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I might have got to 14, I don't know.

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And so I didn't sign up for

the hundred day straight away.

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I

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See how we're going.

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I think it got to about day

14, and then I signed up.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: right.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

And just trying to think.

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what was the question, Vic?

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

So what did you do?

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603: I

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

what did you do?

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So what, how did you approach it?

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Did you get up and think I'm going to

go out for a walk or I'm gonna, what did

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you do and how did you feel that morning?

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Because you knew it was going to change.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

just thought this is it.

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This is my day one, and

I'm going to go for it.

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And I just kept, because I hadn't

finished reading Any Grace.

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I carried on reading that.

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Listened to every podcast

that I could possibly find,

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

everything, and I just completely

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consumed my whole life.

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It was easy for me to do at that

point because it was lockdown.

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You had to a lot of time.

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So I just read and I just consumed

my whole life being alcohol free.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

I started journaling.

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Yeah, I think that was it at that point.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: And

you were a member of Sober Easter's

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then, obviously then, because you were

talking about the hundred day thread.

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So you remember, did you have any

connections that you, because now

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we have a WhatsApp group that I

joined right at the beginning of my

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journey and that really helped me.

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Did you have anything like that back then?

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Yeah,

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

but it got to about the, it got to

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about August and I got a message off off

Nick saying, we're going to try Zoom.

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Are you interested?

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And I thought, yeah, I am.

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I, because we weren't seeing anybody.

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So it was like, God, that'd be great.

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Cause I hadn't noticed on there that they

used to organize meetups, but obviously

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they stopped doing that because of COVID.

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Situation we were in.

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So yeah, we did that first Zoom it was

just I was so nervous and I thought,

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oh God, what they're gonna think of me.

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And musketeers.

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Were formed that very day.

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And it was me lovely

Elizabeth, Alan and Nick.

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And it was just magical.

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People have come and gone over that

time, but us four have There was

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just connection that you can have

with people that you will never ever

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meet in real life because you've

just your lifestyles are poles apart.

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But and some countries apart as well, can

we say and you just, you automatically

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click and it's quite bizarre actually

because all your differences and all your

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Your background, it just doesn't matter at

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: no,

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

it's yeah.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

it's very special, isn't it?

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

It's special.

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Yeah.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: I've been

really lucky to have ended up, landed in

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this WhatsApp group, which now probably

has about, 30 people may be in it now.

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I don't even know.

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Obviously some people dip in and out

and some use it more than others.

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And some use the Zooms more than others.

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but there is something about this

particular group and maybe it happens

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with also the connections, I don't know.

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But it feels like a family.

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And I know that sounds really cheesy.

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I know when I say it out loud, it sounds

cheesy, but it's very true because like

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you say, these aren't necessarily people

that you would meet, let alone, choose in

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real life because you wouldn't, you might

not think you had anything in common.

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But the one thing that connects

us all is actually something

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that is critical to who we are.

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Like the,

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Yeah.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: And

the acceptance of one another and the

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understanding and the non-judgmental.

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feeling that we have for one another.

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There's nothing you could say that

you've done in this group or with

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people who have also tried probably to

be sober that, that people will judge

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you for because they'll just get it.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

And I know that I can say

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anything I want to, any of you, and

it just won't, it doesn't matter.

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It's, no matter how bad it's

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Because, you're given the space

to talk and just just offload.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Somebody's always there

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with some great advice.

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And sometimes something you

already know, but it's, Oh, why

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haven't I done that for ages?

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

That really worked in the early days.

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Why don't I do that?

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Why does it take somebody

else to tell me that?

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Because you forget, don't you?

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

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Oh, yeah.

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It's easy to forget.

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And also once you've been doing

it for a long time and you've been

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doing it for a very long time,

it's it's almost second nature.

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So if it does sneak up on you and the

Wine Witch appears or, you're having

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a bad day or a bad week or whatever

it might be, it's sometimes hard

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to remember what those tools were.

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That really got you through

the beginning bit, which segues

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me nicely into challenges.

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So what do you think is the

biggest challenge you face

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when you make the decision?

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I'm not doing this anymore because

it is not making me very happy.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

that's easy.

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Friends and family.

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It's not that I've had experiences

with my friends and family about

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my drinking, but it's the thought

of having to tell them originally.

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You're thinking, Oh God,

what are they going to think?

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Obviously me, your immediate, my

husband and kids, they were fine.

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vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

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squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

it's then, your best mates, your

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drinking buddies, your work colleagues,

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your, like your extended family, like

your brothers and your sisters and your

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aunts and your uncles, it's all that

was really, that was a big deal for me.

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on I think it was only about a

week, I think it was about eight

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weeks, Yeah, about a weekend I had

an outdoor drinks thing because

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obviously lockdown, so we were

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I'm going to go about this because

they're going to expect me to drink.

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I don't drive, so I couldn't drive,

nobody was going to the doctors,

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so I couldn't say antibiotics.

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So I thought, oh, I'm

going to be honest here.

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I told them.

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I was having a break from drinking

and they were absolutely wonderful.

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I actually, I told my best friend when we

went for a walk because I knew that this

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drinks thing was coming up she was fine.

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then my other two friends, I

just said, I'm having a break.

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I said, it's crept up in lockdown.

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Just wanna cut it out for a bit.

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:

And that was it.

361

:

And then it just got about, so this was,

so this would have been the July, August.

362

:

it was the it was in the October, I'd

helped my best friend moving into a home.

363

:

And, we were, she was, she had

all these bottles of champagne and

364

:

sparkling wine and all that stuff.

365

:

And she went, oh, she went, I look

like I've got a problem, don't I?

366

:

And I went, no, because if you'd

have had a problem, you wouldn't

367

:

have had anything in your wine rack.

368

:

She said, let me tell you, because that's

what my wine rack was always empty.

369

:

She

370

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

good point.

371

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

This is it for you, isn't it?

372

:

You're not going to drink anymore.

373

:

And I went, no, that's it.

374

:

And I would dread in telling her cause

I'd said, I'm just having a break.

375

:

I think it in the back of my

mind that they're always going

376

:

to expect me to start again.

377

:

She just said, this is

it for you, isn't it?

378

:

And I said, yeah, I said I'm done with it.

379

:

I said, I can't unlearn everything

that I found out about alcohol.

380

:

And That was pretty much it.

381

:

My family were brilliant.

382

:

Yeah.

383

:

So I didn't, all the fear was

for nothing because everybody,

384

:

two comments in the four years

385

:

A boring comment or,

386

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Oh, yeah.

387

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

invite you, but you're

388

:

not drinking, are you?

389

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Oh, wow.

390

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Yeah.

391

:

But that's about it.

392

:

That's all I've had in all that time.

393

:

And I think that's pretty good, really,

394

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

395

:

That is good.

396

:

My best friend she was the first person

that I told, actually, I rung her.

397

:

The day that I decided I was going to

stop and I told her and she knows me well.

398

:

I think she knew that was it.

399

:

And she has admitted to me that

in that moment when I rung her,

400

:

she felt this real disappointment

because I was, quite a party girl.

401

:

I, I loved a night out.

402

:

I would always be on the dance

floor, all of that stuff with her.

403

:

And I'd known her since I was 16.

404

:

So She was very used to me turning up

with the champagne when she was trying

405

:

to have a coffee, that kind of thing.

406

:

And she said she remembers feeling this

just moment of disappointment and then

407

:

thinking to herself, Oh, but whenever

we're together, we have a right laugh.

408

:

It doesn't matter whether

Vic's drinking or not.

409

:

And she said she felt terribly guilty

afterwards about feeling like that.

410

:

But I did say to her, I, myself,

Was worried about missing who I was.

411

:

And I have on occasions missed

the kind of party side of myself.

412

:

Like I, there have been occasions

where I've thought, Oh, she was fun,

413

:

but it's the, it's all the other times

it's when it went too far or, if I

414

:

lost stuff or started an argument or

and the next day that I, I had some

415

:

horrible self hatred for, Drinking.

416

:

It just made me feel

horrendous about myself.

417

:

It made me feel like a

proper failure actually.

418

:

So yeah, so I had to kill off the

party girl to let this one survive.

419

:

And I think I feel so much

better since I've done it.

420

:

I would never go back.

421

:

Never.

422

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603: no,

423

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: No.

424

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

It, people though also haven't got that

425

:

person that they, it's somebody jeering

them on oh go on, come on, have a drink.

426

:

They then know that if they drink,

or drink a lot, it's the light

427

:

shine, you, they can't say oh Vic,

was out with Vic and you know what

428

:

she's like she pushes you into it.

429

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yes.

430

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

that excuse then, have

431

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

432

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

to take ownership of their

433

:

own drinking, I think as

434

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

435

:

The little mirror thing is definitely a

thing, if people protest too much, I think

436

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Yeah.

437

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

lucky too, though, Jane.

438

:

Honestly, I haven't lost friends

really through this at all.

439

:

Which I think I have been lucky

cause I have heard people say

440

:

that they have lost friends and,

stop getting invited to things.

441

:

And I think that can be a

reality for some people.

442

:

It can I've been very lucky.

443

:

It hasn't happened to me, but it sounds

like your biggest challenge ended up

444

:

actually not being one in the end.

445

:

You your family and friends were

very accepting and supported you.

446

:

It's great.

447

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Yeah.

448

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: It

should be what we expect really, isn't it?

449

:

That's what we should expect.

450

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Yeah.

451

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

Great role modeling.

452

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Yeah.

453

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

454

:

And so what about all the good stuff?

455

:

All my good stuff.

456

:

I think I bleat on the Soberistas,

on the app, on the blogs.

457

:

I'm always rambling on about all

the brilliant way that I feel

458

:

and things that I'm now doing.

459

:

And what about you?

460

:

So what's been the most positive

outcomes from becoming sober

461

:

and choosing this lifestyle?

462

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Just realizing that there was more

463

:

to me drinking because everything

had to revolve around drinking.

464

:

If we went on days out or night, not

nights out, weekends away, should I say,

465

:

About the drink.

466

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

467

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

enough drink with us?

468

:

When would we be drinking?

469

:

Yeah, we're going around castle

today, but that's all very well,

470

:

but where's the bar sort of thing,

471

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

472

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603: And

then I remember going on my first holiday,

473

:

sober holiday, and it was magical.

474

:

It was only in the northeast of

England, but everything about it

475

:

was just magical because I was

experiencing life properly and

476

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

477

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

properly, rather than thinking about.

478

:

the wine at the end of the day, , I used

to just go through the motions in the

479

:

day and not really take much in, which

is a shame, because I've been to some

480

:

lovely places, but it was all about bar,

481

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

482

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

there's that's a positive, and also

483

:

finding out a little bit more about

who I am, and my capabilities,

484

:

because I left school with pretty

much no qualifications at all, and

485

:

I've gone back, and I've, I'm gaining

486

:

and I'm in just enrolled in uni.

487

:

Never thought that was on my radar at all.

488

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

489

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

would definitely not have come had it

490

:

not been for be for quitting the booze.

491

:

It's, yeah, that's my positive.

492

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: There's

definitely a confidence that comes

493

:

from this and just knowing yourself.

494

:

And also, I don't know

if it's just confidence.

495

:

I think there's a fearlessness

that comes from this.

496

:

You lean into life a

little bit more, don't you?

497

:

And think what's the

worst that can happen?

498

:

And we're so proud of you for all of

your, Studies in your achievements.

499

:

It's just brilliant.

500

:

Whenever you post anything it's so

good to see that like progression.

501

:

From all of us, from everyone on the

group, whenever there's something,

502

:

that somebody has gone on and achieved,

and there's a bit of you that always

503

:

knows that probably wouldn't have

happened if you weren't here and

504

:

if you hadn't chosen this life.

505

:

Yeah

506

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

nothing like stopping drinking and

507

:

thinking, Gosh, what an achievement.

508

:

And you get so proud of yourself

and you're thinking if I can

509

:

do that, I can do anything.

510

:

I can do anything I put my mind to because

every obstacle that you come across, you

511

:

say to yourself I've stopped drinking.

512

:

So this is going to be easy.

513

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

That's so true.

514

:

It's a monumental thing to do, isn't it?

515

:

To just, against all of society's

norms, against everything that you

516

:

were doing before, probably some very

strong neural pathways that were, that,

517

:

would have told you it's wine time on

all those occasions you talked about,

518

:

to get through that and actually start

to enjoy absolutely everything the way

519

:

that you clearly are is is amazing.

520

:

Well done.

521

:

I love it.

522

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Thank you.

523

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

Jane, our half hour is up.

524

:

Can you believe it?

525

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603: it?

526

:

That's gone quick, hasn't

527

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

Hasn't it?

528

:

I know.

529

:

It just zooms past.

530

:

It really does.

531

:

Because it's just so lovely to talk.

532

:

Any top tip from you?

533

:

If somebody's thinking about

stopping, what would you say to them?

534

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Just go for it,

535

:

Got to, like I said right at

the beginning, you've got to

536

:

immerse yourself in everything.

537

:

You've

538

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

539

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Going to read everything, I'm going

540

:

to listen to everything, I'm going to

start writing down how I'm feeling.

541

:

If you come across any, if you do get

a visit from what we like to call the

542

:

wine witch, down why she's visiting

and why are you feeling like that?

543

:

And ask yourself questions,

what can I do instead?

544

:

And have yourself a little list

of self care tips that you can,

545

:

plow your way through she's gone.

546

:

Just, you've just got to

immerse your whole life in it.

547

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah.

548

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

but do it.

549

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604: Yeah,

invest all the time and effort that you

550

:

invested in drinking in not drinking.

551

:

It sounds like that's what you're saying.

552

:

And that's actually what

I had to do as well.

553

:

I changed my addiction to.

554

:

Being addicted to not drinking and

555

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

know.

556

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

and that was it.

557

:

It's I don't drink none at all.

558

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Yeah.

559

:

vic-host354_1_10-21-2024_180604:

Oh thank you so much.

560

:

Thank you for telling your story.

561

:

There will be someone out there who's

thinking I'm going to do it now.

562

:

And it will be because

you shared your story.

563

:

So thank you.

564

:

I really appreciate it.

565

:

squadcaster-h695_1_10-21-2024_180603:

Okay.

566

:

You're welcome.

567

:

Bye.

568

:

squadcaster-bg06_9_09-21-2024_084137:

Thank you for listening to our

569

:

Sober Alcohol Free Stories.

570

:

If you felt that it helped you, make

sure that you like, share and follow.

571

:

And leave a review on podchaser.

572

:

com.

573

:

And remember, make your

catchphrase, I don't drink

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About the Podcast

Sober, Alcohol Free Stories
"I Don't Drink"
If you’ve ever googled “do I drink too much” this podcast is for you!

This is for those of you who end up wondering what’s wrong with you, questioning how your friends can possibly drink so slowly, or worse can just have one with dinner (aliens). For those of you who have tried to moderate, just a Thursday, only red wine, not before 6, not after 9, not if I’m wearing blue 😊

For those of you who secretly don’t enjoy the theatre because you know the show will be an interruption to a booze filled evening. For those who fall out with loved ones, lose handbags, feel lonely or shameful the morning after, wear sunglasses on the school run, or enjoy way too many mints for an average human. For those who need something to change but feel it it’s impossible to break up with their loyal companion – booze.

The good news is you are NOT weird, or alone, there’s millions of us, just like you. You CAN stop drinking alcohol. I know this because until Jan 2022 I was all the above, and now “I don’t drink”.

In this podcast we will delve in to what it takes to become alcohol free in a society that’s quite frankly obsessed with drinking! I’ll talk to people just like you and me, some near the beginning of their alcohol-free life, and some further along, but all with one thing in common, the courage to stare booze in the face and say NO, NOT ME, NOT ANYMORE! They will share their sliding doors moments, regrets, loves, pink clouds and the tools that have helped them to succeed.

We will show you that life without the “wine witch” is actually pretty amazing, how we all thought we were losing something, but what we have gained is insurmountable. We will share how our lives transformed, skin began to glow, sleep became deep and relaxing, bodies became healthy, relationships flourished, careers progressed, and our minds were at peace. WE will show you that you deserve the chance to be happy and free and turn what may seem impossible into possible.

Listen along and join me in making your catchphrase “I don’t drink”.

About your host

Profile picture for VICTORIA Banat

VICTORIA Banat