Sober Awkward

Vic's a classic case of a red flag ignorer.  A binge drinker that disregarded every sign that she was over doing it. No matter how much they flapped, whipping her across the face, she somehow managed to push past, never having to address her over drinking. She failed at school, college, and Uni, blew a finger off with a firework, got in dangerous situations with men, was bloated, had anxiety, peop...

In this week's episode, Hame and Vic will answer some of the world's toughest questions. Like, why do kebabs taste so good when you are drunk (or even when you are sober for that matter!) Why do we eat like pigs when hungover? Is it ok to eat food that has booze in it? You might be thinking why are we talking about food in a sobriety episode? Well Hame and Vic have been busy researching and have f...

If we truly want to learn about what makes a substance addictive - we first need to educate ourselves on Dopamine. In this week's episode Hame and Vic will delve a little further than 'it is the happy hormone'! They will look at the role it plays in our drinking years, why we don't always feel amazing in the initial stages of sobriety and the importance of finding healthy dopamine substitutes in o...

Being lonely and isolated is unfortunately a common feeling when going sober. People get scared of going out and facing the alcohol drenched world, so stay in watching TV, going to bed early and getting a little too cosy. (Guilty!) But, staying in too much after giving up the grog is a problem. It can lead to loss of friendships, anxiety, loneliness and relapse. Believe it or not, Vic gets very lo...

The Drugs Episode - Trigger warning - This episode contains references to recreational drug use, overdose and the impact of drugs on sobriety. Attention whistle posseI It's time to get out your Fila trainers, pop on your hyper-colour t-shirts and strap on a bum bag because today Sober Awkward is heading back to a time when getting off your nut on drugs seemed pretty damn cool. (Well, until it caus...

Today Vic and Hame delve into the more spiritual ways to heal from long term alcohol dependancy. Can new age methods help restore your mental and emotional health when in recovery? And do any of these practices actually work? Vic is not a believer in the woo woo side of life, so today Hame has some convincing to do. They begin by revealing some of the more awkward run-ins with the oneness and expl...

Be it pens, badges, a glass of bubbly or a full blown house sit - Hame and Vic love a freebie! But what has that got to with sobriety, we hear you cry out?! Inspired by a recent complimentary trip they took to Melbourne where they were 'wined and dined' (so to speak), they realised just how hard it to say no to a freebie. Vic broke her sugar free challenge and the slightest mention of cheese cake...

Banning alcohol? It seems barely believable. But from 1920-1933 that is exactly what happened in America. But was it successful and would it work today? Would the world be a better place if alcohol never even existed? Have we now gone to a stage where we have gone too far down the path and any ban on alcohol would cause a riot? These are some of the important questions that Hame and Vic will tackl...

Many of us, including Vic and Hamish, have been injured on a night out. But, have you ever wandered the impact alcohol consumption has on paramedics and nurses? Vic never considered how blowing her finger off affected others, or that it was 100% preventable. Her pissed-up injuries were just part of her chaotic party lifestyle. Hamish didn't think twice when an Ambulance was called to scrape him of...

Today, Vic and Hamish cover the difficult topic of getting sober and living with a partner that still drinks. In this episode they investigate how sobriety affects relationships, the resentment created when a loved one won’t address a drinking habit and why just being sober could be your secret weapon. They have two very special guests joining them briefly in the studio to give their side of the s...

With Easter just around the corner, many of you (well the Australians amongst you at least) might be thinking of heading off camping. Its a pastime that Hamish has always loved - and Vic continues to be bemused by! It also happens to be one of the boozier weekends away. Whether you are drinking to help you sleep in a cramped, steaming hot tent or simply to cover the taste of another over cooked BB...

Vic and Hamish get emails every week from people asking 'Is it ok to eat a bar of chocolate every night instead of drinking wine?' Well, today instead of guessing the answer, they have actually done a bit of Sober Awkward research to find out why sober people eat more sugary sweets, what it's doing to your body and is sugar ok in moderation? For some giving up drinking is about overcoming an addic...

Are you someone that values your sleep? Or are you a parent who day dreams about nights that you 'slept through' or had a 'lie in'?! Whichever you count yourself as - alcohol will be playing a role in affecting your sleep. No matter how much or how little you drink... In fact, not only will alcohol affect the quality of your sleep - it also plays an integral role to your sobriety and your avoidanc...

It's Vic's special day! 5 years since she gave up the grog and it's taken her all that time to learn how to best celebrate sobriety milestones. Today Vic and Hamish discuss plans for their sober birthdays, talk way too much about turnips and uncover why 'going large' on your soberversary can leave you and your piggy back a little disappointed and ensure your soberversary goes off with less of a ba...

Living out of home for the first time...No rules...Hardly any lectures...And a heap of borrowed cash? Sounds like the ingredients for a good time right?! Although for some the University years are when you discover what it truly is you want to do with your life. You work hard, get good grades and kickstart your careers from there. For Hame and Vic (amongst many others!) - this was not the case. Th...

We know it's very cosy within the safe confines of home with your tea, chocolate biscuits and Netflix..... So, why leave? Today Vic and Hamish find out why it's essential to tip toe out of that very appealing comfort zone when you go sober, share some things they have been afraid of in the past and find a process to use to help get over their irrational worry and really feel the fear and do it any...

Grief and alcohol have sadly been intrinsically linked for as long as we can remember. It has somehow become as commonplace to get drunk at a funeral as it is at a wedding!? Losing somebody you love can be one of the toughest things you can go through in your life. As a result, many sadly turn to the bottle. It might cost you your sobriety or it might be the trigger that begins an unhealthy relati...

Did you drink to fit in? Is this because you wanted people to like you? Does it matter? After a few months of getting sober the true you begins to sneak out from under that big safe layer of booze. You begin to question yourself and seek answers as to why you act in the way you do. It's confronting, and very exciting. Finding authenticity and letting go of being a people pleaser are both part of t...

You learnt the periodic table, you can tell me what year the Battle of Hastings was and you think you are right in saying that a pentagon has 5 sides…but what did you learn at school about alcohol? Probably nothing at all! Is there anything else in our lives that we spend as much time, money and energy on but know so little about? In this episode, Vic and Hamish are re-entering the classroom to ta...

How much should we tell our teenagers about alcohol. Do you blurt out everything? Be honest about all your past misdemeanours and unruly behaviour or do lie, pretend none of it happened and hope for the best? Today in this funny and uplifting episode, Vic and Hamish follow on from the parenting chat to take a look into how to talk to teens about drinking and how to get your kids to trust you befor...

NEWS FLASH: Becoming a parent changes your life! Who knew? The day you or your partner finds out they are pregnant - everything changes! And it might just change your attitude towards drinking too...for better and for worse! In Vic and Hamish - you have two people who took opposite paths. (Oh, and in case you hadn't figured it out yet - you also get the opinion of a Mum and a Dad!) In today's epis...

Once you have given up drinking for a while, there is a chance that three little words will slowly creep into your mind - 'One Won't Hurt.' You begin to convince yourself that you can go back to alcohol even though it has caused so much trouble! That naughty pixie that disappeared in sobriety, has snuck back on the scene and is whispering in your ear - 'Come on. Don't be boring! You've proved you...

Sticks and stones may break my bones. But words shall never hurt me...until they do! We have all been labelled throughout our lives. Labelled in our childhoods, labelled in our drinking years and now - most probably - labelled in our sobriety. In this week's episode, Hamish and Vic, take a look at where labels originated in our society. Why not all labels are necessarily bad and how you can use th...

Good Morning 2023! Are you hungover? Did you go out and not stop at one like you promised? Are you feeling like shit? Are waves of shame crashing, tinged with a bit of anxiety? Are you having flashbacks of bad robot dancing and rolling around on a dance floor with your pants on display? Have you just googled 'Am I an Alcoholic?' Well, don't worry! We've all been there, done that. You'll be please...

What is a craving? Can sober people ever look forward to a time when no longer get them? And is it really possible to enjoy Christmas Day without booze playing on your mind? Today Vic and Hamish talk to William Porter. William is the Author of the amazing book ‘Alcohol Explained’ and last time Vic chatted to him on Sober Awkward  he broke down ‘the day in the life of the over drinker.’ which was o...