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Vic and Neil, Sober, Alcohol Free Stories and reversing all kinds of health complications!

Published on: 3rd January, 2025

Today I talk to Neil whose drinking style as a teen was a pathway to some unhealthy drinking as an adult. His health deteriorated as his drinking increased leaving him overweight, diabetic, coping with gout and with liver problems. His incredible 360 turn around to alcohol free living corrected all of these conditions and gave him the confidence to help others as a sobriety coach.

Transcript
Speaker:

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Hi everybody, I'm Victoria and I don't drink.

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Welcome to Sober Alcohol Free Stories.

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Today I'm going to talk to Neil

about how his first experiences

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with alcohol paved the way for heavy

drinking, resulting in a serious

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decline in his health in later years.

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Neil's decision to stop drinking

not only improved his mental health,

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but also reversed his multiple

health conditions, enabling him to

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lead a full and meaningful life.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Hi Neil.

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Lovely to have you on today.

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Thank you for agreeing to come on

and actually you were introduced

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to me by my brother, which is

really nice, my brother Scott.

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So we have, Scott in common.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: Yes,

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: As I was saying

before we hit record, I just want to

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hear about your story today so that if

there's someone out there who is like

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you or has had thoughts that you've had

in the past, then they can resonate with

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you and maybe find a way to accept how

their journey might be and reach sobriety

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if that's what they're looking for.

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So, over to you.

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Tell me your story.

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How did you get where you are today?

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

great Well, I just recently turned 44.

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it was 30 years ago

when I started drinking.

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as a teenager which was felt normal

back then so everyone else I knew

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seemed to do it It was just a way of

fitting in with other kids uh, to be

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honest, my first drinking experiences

weren't great, I was drinking too

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much, from the first couple of times I

remember having, blackouts and waking up

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covered in sick not great experiences,

but that didn't seem to put me off,

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932:

No, rite of passage, I think

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they call that, don't they?

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

that's right.

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, and also I was quite big with,

it was sort of linked in with

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cannabis smoking at the time,

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

rife around my area.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

I think with that it was more, sort of

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classic teenage drinking, but it was when

I started going into the pubs at 17, 18

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Mm hmm.

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Mm hmm.

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Mm

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

me, with the drinking.

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And it was just drinking all the

time and that was just normalized

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I still managed to get stuff done

So I was doing a levels and I just

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scraped by and got into university.

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so I went out to north hampton

for three years but looking back

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now that was just you know, I

had so much free time on my hands

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: hmm.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

it was just it went up another level my

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drinking there So it was just going out

all the time throughout the week You know

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monday night wednesday nights then on the

weekends We'd be out drinking again, or I

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might come back and see my friends locally

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Mm hmm.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

That just continued on and then after

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university I got into recruitment So this

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Okay.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

24 and realized that drinking was

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even celebrated within recruitment

So it was again a badge of honor.

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It was out drinking with

clients at lunchtime.

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It was drinks after work in the week

Again, it was still heavy drinking

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on the weekends with my friends

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Mm hmm.

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Mm

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

on and on and throughout my

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20s I was actually married and

divorced in my twenties and it

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: hmm.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

know, we didn't have kids.

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It was, a relationship built

on alcohol, looking back.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Right.

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Yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

But point, I think I got to about

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32 and for the first time, dry

January had just come out as

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Okay.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

And that was the first,

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I don't know what it was.

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I'd seen an advert about, signing up and

spot, you know, raising money for, I think

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it was a cancer awareness at the time.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Mm hmm.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

there was something in me

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that just wanted to do it.

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So, and I found it really hard.

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but I think cause I signed up for

it as a challenge, and I had a

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lot of people around me trying to

still get me to drink at the time.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

but the thing about having that first

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month off is when it got to the 1st

of February, I just probably drank

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like a month's worth of alcohol

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

and that was to black out drunk again.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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Mm

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

I did the dry January again the

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following year and then I added

sober October because that became a

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thing as, as so like just starting

to have a few more little breaks.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: hmm.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

But at this point, my health

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was getting quite bad.

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I was putting on a lot of

weight, so, you know, I played

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football throughout my twenties.

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I had a bad knee injury, but I

think working in office, drinking

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every other day, having the hangover

food and the days in between

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Mm hmm.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

started to really take its toll

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and I also got remarried and we had

our first child at that point I was

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really committed to make a change.

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So I signed up to the

one year No beer program.

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I don't know if you've heard of that.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: I have.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

and that was hard as well.

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So I think to try and complete that it

was like have a month off first and then

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three months and then upgrade to the year.

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And I think

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

up and I'd reset.

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And I think I had something like a hundred

resets of, uh, finally cracking it.

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But when I finally nailed the year off,

we're thinking this is about:

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I'm about 38 at this point.

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And I, I thought, after I'd

had a year off, I thought,

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well, I can't have a problem.

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I obviously know that I can

go back and try moderation.

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And that was the biggest mistake

ever, because then my drinking

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was even worse, than before.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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Uh huh.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

we had our second boy at that time.

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And I thought having the family would be

the most of it, motivation to stop again.

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But I just found it really hard.

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I just couldn't stop and, and

it, but I kept trying and that's

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where I started to educate myself.

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So I think William Porter,

Alcohol Explained is one

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of the first books I read.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

mind to a whole world of quitlets,

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podcasts, and just immersing yourself

in that world and understanding

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it is hard and it does take time.

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But I finally got to the point where, I

was getting a lot of health conditions.

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And I think when I was diagnosed

with diabetes and gout and

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chronic liver disease, sort of at

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Mm hmm.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

point, I just finally had enough.

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And so that was two years ago

now when I had my last drink

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and drew a line under it.

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And this time around, after I completed

the year off the first year, I decided to

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make this a full time lifestyle change.

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I signed up to be an alcohol free coach.

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So I support

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

that I think your brother should be doing.

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Has done as well.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yes.

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Yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

cool people.

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It's been great for self-development and

it's a real passion and I think there's a

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magic in, so AA was never really for me.

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I did go to a couple of meetings and I

just feel like I was looking for something

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else, but by there, there is some magic

in AA where sponsors help someone else.

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And by helping someone else,

you're helping yourself in a way.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah,

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

And I find like from the coaching,

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it's great to try and help others.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: It's a

real thread, actually, in most

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of the conversations I have this

desire to give something back.

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Honestly, that's why

I've done this podcast.

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For that reason,

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

got that Exactly.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932:

kind of know what you needed.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: Yes.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: at

the beginning, particularly.

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And then, and for me, that was podcasts.

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I, I, like, you immersed myself.

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I was just obsessed with listening,

reading, devouring books.

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William Porter, of course, amazing book.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

And so,

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Yeah, so I feel like, that's a passion,

because I've worked in recruitment for

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20 years and I'm still doing both jobs.

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there will be a transition period because

obviously you've got to pay the bills.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah,

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

a lot of people don't always have

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time to think about what they want

to do because what I'm realizing now

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is I was just an either constantly

drunk or hung over for 20 years.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

never had any time to really think.

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I was thinking about my next

drink or I was thinking I wish

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I hadn't had a drink and it was

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah,

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

chatter once you turn that noise off.

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You have time to work out what you

want to do and that's a beautiful

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part of a lot of people come into

it in Midlife, so it's like having

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that second half of life living it

out how you should really so But but

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah,

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

10 years to stop So if there's any way I

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can help people shorten their journey to

if they're thinking about quitting and

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the first couple of guys i've signed up

are in their sort of early 30s, which is

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah,

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

if people can get into it earlier

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

rather

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932:

That's good to hear.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

I was but it's never too

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late to change either.

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So

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: No,

God, no, of course it's not.

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Yeah, and I think that one of the things

that I want with this podcast is for

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people who are considering it or feel

that perhaps Or maybe I'm not going to be

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able to do it for whatever reason, whether

they think it's their age or the amount

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they drink or that can work both ways.

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Sometimes people think, Oh, I don't

drink enough for it to be a problem.

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Some people think they drink too much.

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They'll never be able to stop.

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Both types of people can stop and can

go on and have amazing, happy lives.

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My life's way better.

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Since I stopped drinking,

immeasurably better, can't explain it.

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but there is a perception until

you've, until you're in it and you're

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doing it and you're realizing, and

you're enjoying this colorful, much

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bigger existence than you had before.

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There is a perception that somehow you

might be losing out by stopping, but

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it's actually the opposite, isn't it?

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: when

I sort of reminisce, it's probably some

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of those university days, but I think the

fun stopped for a long time after that.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: we

were so ingrained still in our culture

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and that's what you did going out.

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for every emotion, wasn't it?

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Whether you were, celebrating

it or something bad that

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happened or any excuse at all.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

as well in the last few years, because

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I've lost nearly four stone, I've

reversed my gout, my diabetes, my

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Wow.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

sleep apnea, my anxiety,

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depression, everything's gone.

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So again, I can, I feel I can

really help other guys who are

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suffering from any health conditions

just from that angle alone.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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Yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

So once you slept, then you can maybe

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decide to go to the gym in the morning.

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And then when you've been to

the gym, you start to eat better

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and it's all connected really.

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Um, and then you just feel good.

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So, you know, life, life still

has its ups and downs, doesn't it?

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It still has its challenges, but

because even at the moment, I'm

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having a tough situation with work.

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But, I said to my wife, I'm just

grateful that I'm sober because

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I can think about this clearly.

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you know, we can deal with it

rather than just sparing your head

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in the sand with another drink and

then it's worse anyway tomorrow.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Oh yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: So,

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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There's nothing worse than doing that.

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you have the drink cause you think

it's going to make you feel better.

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And it does truth is it

does like in that moment.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

yeah, for

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: And then you

go on and have a load that you didn't

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need to have And then the next day

you've got the problem and the hangover.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Yeah, and I will say my wife still so I

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always we talk about this middle lane, but

my middle lane there's like I was laying

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nine out of ten and My wife is just one

of these people that would have one drink

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and if it doesn't have a martini at the

restaurant she'll just have a soft drink.

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It's not like

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

drink and And that's fine as I say

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people, you know, but I think within

the middle of that people it does

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Progress and it does get worse.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah,

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

I was still performing at work.

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they call it a high

functioning addict, don't they?

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah, yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: so

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: And then

that just strengthens your own

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story to yourself, doesn't it?

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That it's actually all right.

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Well, I, I managed, I managed December,

October and I managed dry January and

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also I'm functioning at work and, and that

guy over there's worse than me and all

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of those stories that we tell ourselves

and it can really keep you stuck.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Well, I came out of a couple of AA

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meetings, ended up going for a drink

cause I thought I'm not that bad.

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And that's the

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah,

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: it.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

but I think with the health, so with,

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with gout, I couldn't walk for a

month and that was when I finally had

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enough because we're two young boys.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Oh yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

have to, for them, be the

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best possible version of me.

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And now they're loving it.

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Like, my son's asking, when's

the podcast coming out?

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And they're,

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

they're not quite as bad as we were.

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I'm seeing a lot more

youngsters up the gym now.

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I think people are more conscious

about, you know, getting blackout drunk

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with social media around now, perhaps.

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I think it's still a thing, obviously,

but maybe slowly, slowly, we're

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seeing some changes and there's so

many cool alcohol free drinks now.

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So I met up with the coaches

in London the other day.

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It was still 7.

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50 for a pint of alcohol free

beer, but good job us only

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having two or three of them.

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and that's a nice thing.

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You have two or three and that's enough.

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So, whereas before it was

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

or three and you want ten or,

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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And then you wouldn't

even remember having them.

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You'd probably throw them up.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

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Complete madness.

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When I look back on, oh gosh,

I don't, I don't even know.

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I wouldn't know really how much I

would have had on those nights out when

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you go out into town and everyone's

just drinking, but that's the thing.

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Everybody's doing it.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: Yes.

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vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: was the same

as you in terms of, I wasn't someone

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who got up in the morning and drank or.

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You know, I never had the shakes.

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I wasn't, I don't think I

was ever physically addicted.

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squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: 10.

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:

and not that many people are in

the scheme of, but there's a lot of

329

:

people in that middle lane who are

330

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

331

:

Yeah.

332

:

When I was talking to William

Porter about this, I was, there's,

333

:

it was, it was in one of, I

think it was in one of his books.

334

:

he described it.

335

:

Cause I always thought of it as a scale.

336

:

And you're on it somewhere.

337

:

Everyone's on it somewhere.

338

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

whether it's zero or ten, but yeah,

339

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah.

340

:

But then maybe I was listening to

something that he was talking about.

341

:

I can't remember.

342

:

It was definitely him.

343

:

And it was about, if you imagine

that your life is like a jigsaw

344

:

and everything you do is a piece of

jigsaw, how many of those pieces of

345

:

jigsaw do you require alcohol for?

346

:

So for example,

347

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

mm hmm.

348

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: do you

require it to go to a wedding?

349

:

Do you require it to go out

for an evening for dinner.

350

:

Do you require it in the morning?

351

:

Do you require it?

352

:

So all the different things that

you do after the school run, before

353

:

the school run, when you're getting

your hair done, when someone dies,

354

:

when someone's born, when so all

these things are a little section.

355

:

And , if drinking alcohol is

required for that for you, turn that

356

:

section red, and then look at your

picture and how much of it is red.

357

:

And I really liked that visual.

358

:

I could sort of picture my jigsaw

and I was like, you know, it's

359

:

not all red by any Stretch of the

imagination, but there's more on

360

:

there than I'd like there to be.

361

:

Well, now my jigsaw has no red

362

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Yeah.

363

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: and I love it.

364

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Do you know it's nice, when I talk about

365

:

internal chatter, because every time I

try to give up and I slipped up, straight

366

:

away my brain, the alcohol spider brain,

would say, straight, it, Yeah, it's okay.

367

:

you're just going to have it once a week

now and it would try and like convince you

368

:

that moderation was actually okay, even

369

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Oh, yeah,

370

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

thinking and know it isn't all right.

371

:

So that's why it's sneaky.

372

:

And I think

373

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah,

374

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

your addictions in jail doing

375

:

press ups, when you're, so be

376

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah,

377

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

to, to let, ever let it out.

378

:

And that's why it's just

easy to say no, isn't it?

379

:

To, to, to the first one, just

to have none rather than try and

380

:

have one or two moderate anyway.

381

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah.

382

:

Moderation for me, total fallacy.

383

:

Just not possible because the trouble

is, that once you've had one, your

384

:

decision making function goes anyway.

385

:

And you're just constantly going to

be chasing that feeling that you that

386

:

you wanted to have in the first place.

387

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Yeah.

388

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: unfortunately,

it doesn't quite work that way, does it?

389

:

So you end up just having a load that

don't ever really get you there anyway.

390

:

And I think that's the same

for all addictions, isn't it?

391

:

But the problem with alcohol is it's

so normalized that everyone's doing it.

392

:

And you kind of think, well,

it's all right for me to do this.

393

:

And you look for stories, you look

for people to back up your little

394

:

chatter that says you're okay.

395

:

Um, When, when really it's not okay.

396

:

You know, it's not okay that you're

relying on it for happiness or to

397

:

give you confidence or any of those

things that people rely on it for.

398

:

I do have some alien friends who will

have one glass and sound a bit like

399

:

your wife and just completely happy.

400

:

My husband's like that as well.

401

:

he'll have a couple of drinks.

402

:

He's quite happy.

403

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

moderation is okay for them.

404

:

I think it's anyone that's had a, hasn't

had a good relationship with alcohol.

405

:

I don't think you

406

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah,

407

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

moderation.

408

:

and it's

409

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: no,

410

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

it's almost trying to like not

411

:

give it up, but I can still have

a couple, and it's not a happy

412

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah, no.

413

:

Cause then you've just got the

constant chatter, haven't you?

414

:

Then you've just got, you're

sitting bargaining with

415

:

yourself and I can see why.

416

:

people go from, they've stopped and

then they think, Oh, I've cracked this.

417

:

I'm going to go back and moderate.

418

:

You can see why very quickly that

escalates back because your brain knows

419

:

you as someone who has more than that one.

420

:

And that chatter to, well, it's five

o'clock or it's Friday or whatever

421

:

your chatter is, whatever that

situation is, that doesn't go away.

422

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

a Monday midday.

423

:

I would go for a beer at lunch.

424

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah,

425

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

was my routine and I wouldn't,

426

:

cause I didn't drink, every day.

427

:

It was every other day.

428

:

I

429

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: right.

430

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

you know, but then, like I

431

:

say, I wasn't living a great

life on the days in between.

432

:

It was like hungover, feeling

sorry for yourself and

433

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

434

:

Oh, it's horrible, really, isn't it?

435

:

When you think about it,

put yourself through.

436

:

Yeah.

437

:

Yeah.

438

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: now.

439

:

As I say, I've got this backstory and

this journey that's led me to here,

440

:

where I can help others and it's given

me a lot of meaning joy and get to

441

:

come on to great podcasts like this

and talk to lovely people like you.

442

:

So this is, uh, this is the fun

443

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Thank you.

444

:

Yeah, this is the fun part.

445

:

It is.

446

:

It's great.

447

:

I love doing this podcast because I know

that someone will be walking or sitting

448

:

in the bath or whatever they're doing,

thinking, Oh, I hope I can do this.

449

:

And it's just that message, isn't it?

450

:

That you absolutely can.

451

:

And it's not something you're giving up.

452

:

It's something you're choosing not to do.

453

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Yeah,

454

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932:

And it's wonderful.

455

:

It's just so brilliant to be

able to live life without.

456

:

Having that constant nagging.

457

:

Can I have another one?

458

:

Is it, you know, am I

drinking faster than people?

459

:

It's just a chat.

460

:

Chatter is the really good word for

it because it's just this little

461

:

voice in your head all the time.

462

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

off the radio.

463

:

It's nice.

464

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yes.

465

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

and as I say, I enjoy still now, my

466

:

favorite benefit is just waking up fresh.

467

:

I'm lucky enough to work at home.

468

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

469

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

have an alarm on my phone.

470

:

I mean, my boys would wake me up anyway,

471

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

472

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

think just waking up fresh and feeling

473

:

good is so, because I struggled for

so many years where I had to force

474

:

myself into work hung over and it was

475

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Oh,

476

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: And.

477

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932:

oh, it's horrendous.

478

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

know, you're on like half

479

:

performance anyway, and then it's

just a constant cycle really,

480

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Recruitment's

an interesting one, isn't it?

481

:

She was a recruiter as well.

482

:

Lady called Sarah Ruspatch.

483

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: Yes,

484

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: written a book.

485

:

Um, yeah.

486

:

Yes.

487

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

I don't, we haven't spoken, but I,

488

:

I heard a podcast with, Andy Ramish.

489

:

He was the guy that was

490

:

training for the coaching.

491

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Andy Remich.

492

:

said he's going to come on here.

493

:

So if he is listening to

this, he has to come on here.

494

:

I'm trying to catch him.

495

:

But Sarah, was in recruitment as well.

496

:

And, um, and yeah, she talked

about, Part of the interview process

497

:

was how much can people drink?

498

:

So, I mean, that, that

was a long time ago.

499

:

It wouldn't be now, obviously, but back

when I was finishing university, that's

500

:

the time she was finishing university.

501

:

she remembers being in interviews

where you took people for drinks

502

:

and see if they could keep up.

503

:

Like that was part of it.

504

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Yeah,

505

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: It's

absolute madness, isn't it?

506

:

But it's not the only industry.

507

:

There's all sorts of industries

have issues with this.

508

:

And, you know, I, I work in, a completely

different industry, but, all of our

509

:

conferences, everything, everything

is geared around having drinks.

510

:

You know, there's not a lot

of options if you don't drink,

511

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: No.

512

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: which I think is

a real shame because it's, you know, it's

513

:

a bit boring if you're not drinking and

everybody's just shit faced around you.

514

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: I

do know what you mean and I think it's i'm

515

:

starting to see now more They're trying

to do more activities, aren't they for

516

:

the christmas office party instead of

necessarily going for the classic drinks

517

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

518

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

and then it's just trying to network

519

:

and find new communities and that's

another good thing about the coaching

520

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

521

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: find

like minded people like going up to london

522

:

and going out for lunch the other day for

an app My first sort of alcohol free lunch

523

:

when you're meeting a group of people

524

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Oh, how lovely.

525

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

because you know when you're the

526

:

only one You know, when I go out for

my local football still, and you're

527

:

the only one out of ten, you know,

528

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

529

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

you are in a minority.

530

:

But that's

531

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

532

:

Yeah.

533

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

um, Heineken Zero at Tottenham now, and

534

:

you know, unfortunately you remember

the day and Spurs can play badly.

535

:

You have to suffer

536

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932:

You can't block that out.

537

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

But, um, I think it's a different

538

:

chapter now and that's the

way you view life, isn't it?

539

:

And so I don't

540

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

541

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

back on certain things with

542

:

regret because there were

543

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: No.

544

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: it's

very much just enjoying it, embracing it.

545

:

and as you say, you're

not giving anything up.

546

:

It's everything that you're

gaining in this new life.

547

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

548

:

And I'm the same as you in that I

don't look back and regret anything.

549

:

I had a blast.

550

:

I had lots of fun, for many

years but it just wasn't

551

:

anymore when I decided to stop.

552

:

and actually if you took it on a

balance, what I was getting from it.

553

:

was nowhere near what I was losing

554

:

and for me, that was it.

555

:

I was having anxiety.

556

:

I felt extremely tired.

557

:

My hangovers were awful.

558

:

I mean, everyone knew me to have

terrible hangovers and sometimes

559

:

I didn't feel it was justified

for the amount I'd had either..

560

:

But I think they do get progressively

worse hangovers anyway, don't they?

561

:

As you get older, but also the more

you drink, obviously it's gonna.

562

:

It's going to get worse.

563

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: You

564

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932:

an interesting thing.

565

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

with um, trying to moderate because I

566

:

don't think the government guidelines

helped when they Talked about the

567

:

14 units because I would always try

to be creative with that but then

568

:

I have five times more than that

569

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

570

:

Yeah.

571

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: As

I say, I think it's helpful that I think

572

:

the messaging slowly so they are, you know

for optimal health better to have none,

573

:

I think unfortunately it still exists

doesn't it as a culture and industry?

574

:

People are looking for

reasons that moderation is

575

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: They've put, I

think I heard last year that in Ireland,

576

:

they've now put the cancer, warnings

on alcohol, which is massive because

577

:

they definitely don't do that here.

578

:

And I actually didn't know

that it was a carcinogen until.

579

:

I stopped drinking and listened

to it on William Porter.

580

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Yeah.

581

:

Yeah.

582

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: I had no

idea, but they put them, they put

583

:

that warning on apparently in Ireland.

584

:

So I'd be interested to see what that

does to drinking rates once it's on there.

585

:

obviously with smoking, people still

smoke when they could see those

586

:

horrible pictures and everything,

but it has had an impact over time.

587

:

So that would be interesting to see.

588

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: It's

always finding your why because I found

589

:

giving up smoking the easiest Um, but

that was when we you know had kids and I

590

:

just had I was fully motivated to do it.

591

:

But I think, eventually, as you

get older, you realize how precious

592

:

health is and how you need to

593

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah,

594

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: it.

595

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah,

596

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

maybe a different view on

597

:

life when you're younger.

598

:

But like I say, the hope is that the

younger generations are coming into it.

599

:

And, you know, we're

setting a good example.

600

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah,

601

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

a good example for my boys

602

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: absolutely.

603

:

And there's a massive, I mean,

it's a really big world, the

604

:

alcohol free world, isn't it?

605

:

There's all sorts of

different support groups.

606

:

There's just communities,

just like having a great time.

607

:

I've got a friend who's

got a sober C school.

608

:

There's, there's all these

different things out there that

609

:

you can do and get involved in.

610

:

it's just wonderful.

611

:

It's just a different life really.

612

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

That's one of the things I've got,

613

:

on my website, alcoholfreewarrior.

614

:

com.

615

:

even for people that don't want

coaching, I've set up like a WhatsApp

616

:

group, the WhatsApp warriors, and

617

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: I love that.

618

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

it's just to have some, another

619

:

layer of community, where people

620

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Oh, I'll

join your WhatsApp warriors group.

621

:

That's brilliant.

622

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

And it's also just if people are

623

:

local, like I, my, my vision is,

as this grows over time there'll be

624

:

lots of subgroups and people can get

together a bit like we've done with

625

:

this coaching course where there's a

626

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah,

627

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

locally and then we've, we

628

:

met up for a coffee and it

629

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: really nice.

630

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

that alcohol free community

631

:

that we probably need, don't we?

632

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

633

:

It's a really lovely thing to do

to spend time in real life with

634

:

other people who stopped drinking.

635

:

I've got lots of online connection, but

the in real life thing , is, is lovely.

636

:

I have a group of friends who I met

through Soberistas, which was a community

637

:

I joined years ago, and we go away once

a year together and have a weekend away.

638

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: it's

639

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: it's kind

of weird when you're planning it

640

:

because Previously, you'd be like,

how many bottles of wine do we need?

641

:

And now we plan it and that literally

like thoughts, , the pathway that

642

:

will still come into my head or do we

need to get, Oh no, we don't drink.

643

:

None of us drink.

644

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Yeah,

645

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932:

It's actually really nice.

646

:

So you, you decided to stop.

647

:

Would you give me some idea of the

challenges that came with that?

648

:

Was there anything that you found

particularly challenging about stopping?

649

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Yeah.

650

:

I think,

651

:

it was the amount of triggers.

652

:

I think you have to really treat it like

it is a hard thing to do and you have

653

:

to be committed to it and you have to

understand that there will be slip ups.

654

:

I had a full list of things when

I was doing that first year off.

655

:

was about 30 things on my

list and everyone will have

656

:

their own personal triggers,

657

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

658

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

those things, you know, can you either

659

:

swap or replace something or avoid it?

660

:

And nowadays there are lots of

things you can replace because the

661

:

habit loop will still be there.

662

:

Um, or it's just redefining, you know,

mine was always when I was driving home

663

:

after a long day in the office and I

was quite already thirsty at that point.

664

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Mm hmm.

665

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

I'd find myself, going into a pub

666

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Mm hmm.

667

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

home before I'd actually got home

668

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Right.

669

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

thirsty and that was a trigger for me.

670

:

And then, so I started, making sure I had

a bottle of water or some food in the car.

671

:

So, you know, being

672

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

673

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

was another trigger sometimes.

674

:

And,

675

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

676

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

it's going through that list and

677

:

recognizing it and, just learning as

you do have these slip ups and just to

678

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

679

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

for me, it did take a long time to get

680

:

to the point where I changed my mindset.

681

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

682

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: but

you've just got to keep working at it.

683

:

If you really want it, if

you're wise, strong enough,

684

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

685

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: got

to be persistent and resilient with it.

686

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: I

think the why is a great one.

687

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

it does get to that point

688

:

where I do love it now.

689

:

I don't feel like I'm missing out on

anything, but it's a process and a

690

:

journey that you have to go through.

691

:

So I don't

692

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah,

693

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

any shortcut, but it is great with, you

694

:

know, if you can get some extra help

or resources, I think doing it alone.

695

:

was probably the trickiest part.

696

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah,

697

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

once all my network my friends and my wife

698

:

could see I was serious about it, then

things can become easier you grow your

699

:

alcohol free network as well, so you've

got support and community to lean on.

700

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah, yeah, I

think anything done with some kind of

701

:

support is going to be easier, isn't it?

702

:

I was lucky I had support right from the

first day because I joined a community

703

:

and got put into a WhatsApp group

within a few hours and that was it.

704

:

God, they wouldn't, they wouldn't let

you as long as you reached out and said,

705

:

Oh, I'm having a bit of a struggle.

706

:

They'd all come at you,

707

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Yeah?

708

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: play the tape

forward, Vic don't like, you know, they're

709

:

just all of the tools, every single thing,

you know, remember what it actually looks

710

:

like and that really helped me because

sometimes when you stop, you glamorize.

711

:

You forget, don't you, and you glamorize

what it's like to have a drink, or

712

:

you see someone sitting, you know,

Christmas time, sitting by a snuggly

713

:

fire, and it all looks very cozy

and lovely, that glass of red wine.

714

:

But actually, if you think about what

that looks like, really, for you,

715

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Yeah.

716

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: not going

to be won by a nice fire, is it?

717

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Sometimes that's how I mind

718

:

playing tricks, isn't it?

719

:

Because some, you know, that person might

actually be having an alcohol free beer,

720

:

if you're looking in through the window,

721

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yes.

722

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: and

723

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

724

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

would you?

725

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932:

No, That's so true.

726

:

I'm going to think that either.

727

:

Well, either that, or I'm going to

think, well, actually, they're going

728

:

to have a big argument with their

partner at the end of the night,

729

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Yeah?

730

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932:

because that's what happens too.

731

:

Yeah.

732

:

So what about the positive things that

you maybe didn't expect from being sober?

733

:

What's happened that's been wonderful?

734

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

as well as having the life coaching

735

:

courses, it's just been amazing.

736

:

I wasn't

737

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

738

:

Yeah.

739

:

Yeah.

740

:

Yeah.

741

:

Yeah.

742

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

you know, family duties and, you

743

:

know, full time role, but it's,

I've just had so much fun with it.

744

:

And, you know, to start learning

again, because it's almost like I

745

:

went to university and then I got

into recruitment and switched that

746

:

learning part of my brain off.

747

:

for a long time.

748

:

So that's just, it's given me a

first to think about some other

749

:

things that I can do as well.

750

:

we should always be pushing ourselves

and learning and doing new things.

751

:

So I think that's opened some new doors.

752

:

And then also, my favorite thing is

coaching my son's under eight football

753

:

team, his local team, the Panthers.

754

:

I set that up.

755

:

With them at the start of the year.

756

:

And again, it's like

volunteering in the community.

757

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Amazing.

758

:

Yeah.

759

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

but I think it's having

760

:

something else to focus on.

761

:

And we have trading on Friday night and

games at nine o'clock on Saturday morning.

762

:

I mean, the old

763

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Oh,

764

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

would have been, out drinking

765

:

Fridays and Saturday mornings,

a write off with a hangover.

766

:

So

767

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah.

768

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

replacing, those things with

769

:

some fun stuff and being outdoors

770

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Funny you

say that about the football because I

771

:

remember, when my daughter's football

training, I had already stopped drinking.

772

:

So my son and daughter both play football.

773

:

And my daughter's football training

moved to a Friday night, 7 to 8.

774

:

30pm.

775

:

And my son's football training

moved to a Saturday morning, 9am.

776

:

So it was a Saturday night.

777

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Yeah.

778

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: when

that happened, because I was

779

:

alcohol free, I was so smug.

780

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Yeah.

781

:

Yeah.

782

:

Yeah.

783

:

Because it

784

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: I

was like, oh, I can do this.

785

:

It's fine.

786

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

No, otherwise it would be

787

:

a struggle, wouldn't it?

788

:

Yeah.

789

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932:

would have been livid before.

790

:

That was my prime time Friday night.

791

:

That would have been like, it

would have been hell for me.

792

:

Yeah.

793

:

it was good to be able to just

turn up and be mom and no issue.

794

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

And I think we touched on some of the

795

:

resources earlier about the books and

I think again, I've just had more of

796

:

a thirst for my wife's always joking.

797

:

It's another books, you know,

coming through the post and

798

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

799

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

you know, I feel like I'm making up

800

:

for lost time a bit for, those 20 years

I was working and drinking and not

801

:

thinking about anything else, really.

802

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

803

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

So, that's the fun stuff now, and like

804

:

I say, I've got this blank canvas ahead

that I'm looking on positively, and I'm

805

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

806

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

to the second half of life really.

807

:

So,

808

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah, it's

like that second chance, isn't it?

809

:

To just go and, and, and as you say,

no regrets, but how lovely to have

810

:

this future ahead of you that could be

filled with so many different things.

811

:

and you're not going to waste your time

812

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: No.

813

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: on just

sitting around drinking like it's,

814

:

it's boring really, isn't it?

815

:

Yeah.

816

:

Yeah.

817

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

because working at home is I joined

818

:

a good health club and I Viewed the

the money because it's more expensive

819

:

than my nearest gym, but the money

I'm saving From drinking anyway, and

820

:

it's something that I go to and even

if I'm not using the gym I like that

821

:

I use the spa and it's like a pub

822

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Oh, yeah.

823

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Well, and again you you get to network

824

:

and you see and the amounts of alcohol

free people I've met out there I

825

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Oh, really?

826

:

That's interesting.

827

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

so again, it's become a bit of a

828

:

community, but a good stress relief.

829

:

So there's other things you can do when

people say, Oh, I don't think I could, you

830

:

know, I need a drink, you know, to unwind

831

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

832

:

Oh,

833

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

other things that you can do.

834

:

I've added in the cold plunge as

part of the routine this year.

835

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: I

haven't managed that yet.

836

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933: been

liberating and now I'm just used to it.

837

:

I just jump in every day for a

couple of minutes and I love it.

838

:

I think it makes you switch off and,

839

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Have

840

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

a calmness about it.

841

:

And I always feel really

good when I come out of it.

842

:

So it took me about

843

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932:

you got that at home

844

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

up at the gym,

845

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: it's in the club?

846

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Lloyd in Farnham.

847

:

I go to him.

848

:

love it

849

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Right.

850

:

Yeah.

851

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

I'm up there most days and that's

852

:

become a pub replacement in a way, so.

853

:

I think

854

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

855

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

you just stopped drinking and

856

:

didn't do anything it didn't engage.

857

:

I know there's that feeling that

perhaps you want to avoid situations,

858

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Yeah.

859

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

learning, you know where you can go for

860

:

new settings, isn't it and making those

861

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: yeah.

862

:

There's so many things.

863

:

My first year I, did a fair bit

of paddle boarding and I loved it.

864

:

that came something.

865

:

Um, I haven't done it this year.

866

:

I'm a bit scared of the Thames

now because I've heard about

867

:

all the sewage rates going up.

868

:

So I decided I wasn't going to

do it this year, but the first

869

:

year, I absolutely loved that.

870

:

You're right.

871

:

You just try things and

open up your world more.

872

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

Yeah,

873

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: and it

sounds like you've really done that.

874

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

That's amazing.

875

:

Okay.

876

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: thank you

so much for sharing your story.

877

:

As said earlier, there's, there'll

be someone who listens to this, who

878

:

just thinks now that it's possible.

879

:

And so that's why I'm so grateful

for everyone that comes on and speaks

880

:

to me because it is a hard thing

to do, but to know that someone's

881

:

done it, someone like you, is all

I really want to achieve with this.

882

:

So thank you so much.

883

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

you for letting me come on and

884

:

chat to you I enjoyed that a lot.

885

:

So

886

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Ah, good.

887

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

yeah,

888

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: it's

lovely to have you and I'll let

889

:

you know when this is going out.

890

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

please do.

891

:

Thank you.

892

:

vic_1_12-10-2024_175932: Okay, bye.

893

:

squadcaster-301h_1_12-10-2024_175933:

See you later

894

:

Thank you for listening.

895

:

To Sabre alcohol-free stories.

896

:

If this episode helped you, please.

897

:

Please like share and follow.

898

:

Or leave a review on pod chaser.

899

:

Dot com.

900

:

And if you've got a story to

tell, please contact me on Sabre.

901

:

A F stories@outlook.com.

902

:

And don't forget.

903

:

You can make your catch phrase.

904

:

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