Sober Awkward

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...

It's Christmas! Well, nearly! Let's face it, Christmas is a tough time for sober people! Not only the actual day itself, the entire frantic build up can make you want to hide in a hole until February. There is a certain amount of pressure to join in, follow the merry crowd. We There are Christmas parties, work functions, family drinking traditions and long walks to pubs after too many roast potato...

Today, Vic and Hame have a quick chat about the importance of being loud and proud in sobriety, why your voice is significant and how telling the world you story will help others that come after you. Then, stay tuned to hear the recording of Vic's speech at the Byron Theatre. Hear how she faced her fears of public speaking and told her story. Vic, describes in detail what it was like to realise sh...

It’s time to polish off the banners, put on your green army jacket and CND badge, march to the doors of parliament and declare your allegiance to the sober revolution. Yes comrades, today we want to cause a riot and find out why sobriety is having a social mutiny. Yes, today Vic and Hamish and going to find out why sobriety is trending and dig into the reasons more people are deciding to give up o...

Whether you are joining a sporting team or simply wanting to watch a game with friends - alcohol and sport appear to be intrinsically linked. Why is this the case when sport is about elite athletic performance? Drinking is the antithesis of this. Trust us! (Have you ever tried to compete in a sack race after one too many? Two words come to mind. Face. Plant. In this week's episode Vic and Hamish r...

Whether it's a 7am pint in the airport Wetherspoons to 'get you in the holiday mood' or a Gin and Tonic at 10 thousand feet because they are free (!) - it is often difficult to avoid alcohol when flying. Airports and flights have sadly been the setting for many a relapse. The rules are different. Socially acceptable times to binge drink fly out of the window in the name of 'holiday'! In this week'...

Let's talk about making sober mates and boundaries. When you get sober sometimes friendships change. Some people surprise you by being supportive and sticking by you, while others find your changes hard to handle and disappear from your life. In part two of the friendship episodes, Vic and Hame have a chat about boundaries. Why it's vital to learn what they are and how you can implement them in yo...

Let's talk about mates. When you get sober sometimes friendships change. Some people surprise you by being supportive and sticking by you, while others find your changes hard to handle and disappear from your life. It can be upsetting, shocking and disappointing when mates turn their backs, so today on Sober Awkward Vic and Hame are going to have a chat about the intricacy of friendships and how t...

How do I do it? How do I celebrate a party or numb out the horrors of a miserable piece of news without alcohol? It is a question many of us will face over and over again in our sobriety. Not to mention all the many mini highs and lows in between. Do you want to know a secret? Its time to feel the feels. Gone are the days of numbing out emotions. Today is your day to feel each and every one of the...