Sober Awkward

soberawkward

Winner, Best Well-Being Podcast at The Australian Podcast Awards 2024 Have you ever woken up after a big night out and declared, “I’m never drinking again,” only to find yourself waving $50 at a barman by Happy Hour? Yep, Vic’s been there too. Join Victoria Vanstone, award-winning podcaster, author, and former binge-drinking party animal, as she explores what it’s really like to be sober in a world absolutely soaked in alcohol. Each week on Sober Awkward, Vic dives into boozy topics, social pressures, anxiety, identity wobbles, and the messy reality of quitting drinking, opening up the shame shed of humiliating stories so you don’t have to feel alone in yours. With humour, honesty, and zero judgement, Vic tells it like it is, from vomit and one-night stands to life on the other side of destructive drinking. If you’ve hit a wall, you’re fed up with anxiety, headaches, and blackouts, or you’re just quietly sober-curious, pop the kettle on and learn how to feel the awkward, and do it anyway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 1 hr ago

    The Share Shed: Writing Competition Entries

    The Share Shed – Sober Awkward Writing Competition Specials - What is Moderation By April J Every Thursday, we’re handing the story telling over to you. Over the next few months, Vic will be reading some of the incredible entries from this year’s Sober Awkward Writing Competition. Honest, funny, heartbreaking, hopeful, awkward and beautifully human, these stories come from people all over the world who have experienced the ups and downs of changing their relationship with alcohol. Whether you’re sober curious, newly alcohol-free, years into recovery, or simply wondering if life might feel better without booze, we hope these stories remind you that you’re not alone. Writing has a powerful way of helping us make sense of our lives. It can shine a light on things we’ve hidden away, help us process difficult experiences, and remind us just how resilient we really are. Plus, it’s considerably cheaper than therapy and doesn’t require you to wear pants. So grab a cuppa, get comfortable, and join us for this week’s Share Shed as Vic tells another story from our amazing community. 💛 Resources & Links 📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted Sundays A brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze. 👉 Buy the book here or head to the website to find out more about writing mentorships with Vic. 👉 www.soberawkward.com 🫖 Join The Cuppa Community Our private, supportive online space for sober folk 👉 www.cuppa.community 📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide Our downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way. 👉 The Sober Awkward Guide 📱 Follow us for daily sober fun: Instagram: @soberawkward TikTok: @soberawkward Facebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women 📞 SUPPORT & RESOURCES If anything in today’s episode felt familiar, or you’re worried about your drinking, there is support available. You don’t have to do this alone. 🇦🇺 Australia National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline 📞 1800 250 015 (24/7) https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/alcohol-and-drug-information-service Lifeline 📞 13 11 14 (24/7) https://www.lifeline.org.au Hello Sunday Morning / Daybreak https://hellosundaymorning.org https://daybreakapp.com.au Clean Slate Clinic https://www.cleanslateclinic.com 🇬🇧 United Kingdom Drinkline 📞 0300 123 1110 https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/alcohol-support/ Alcohol Change UK https://alcoholchange.org.uk We Are With You https://www.wearewithyou.org.uk 🌍 International Alcoholics Anonymous https://www.aa.org SMART Recovery https://www.smartrecovery.org 💬 A Gentle Reminder If you’re drinking in the morning to cope, especially with anxiety or withdrawal symptoms, it’s important to speak to a doctor or medical professional. Stopping alcohol suddenly can be unsafe for some people, and getting support can make a huge difference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    The Share Shed: Writing Competition Entries
  2. 15 hr ago

    Introducing MAMA: Motherhood, Alcohol, Mental Health and Anxiety

    Listen to the Mama podcast on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0341yjbBRIxVgWibnSR92D?si=e4a1b9094a3a40aa Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/introducing-mama-motherhood-alcohol-mental-health-and/id6798043028?i=1000779960427 So… what is MAMA? If you’ve ever found yourself pouring a glass of wine before you’ve even finished unpacking the school bags, if you’ve joked about Wine O’Clock while secretly wondering why your anxiety feels worse the next day, or if you’ve started asking yourself whether alcohol has quietly become part of your parenting journey, then you’ve found the right podcast. MAMA stands for Motherhood, Alcohol, Mental Health and Anxiety. It’s an honest six part podcast series hosted by Victoria Vanstone, mum of three, author and host of the award-winning Sober Awkward podcast. This teaser episode is a little introduction to why MAMA exists and why these conversations matter so much. The full series launches next week alongside the Healthy Mum Healthy Bub program. The two have been designed to work together, giving you both practical support and honest conversation as you explore your own relationship with alcohol. You can work through the Healthy Mum Healthy Bub program while listening to each episode of MAMA, or simply enjoy the podcast on its own. However you choose to listen, you’ll find the same message running through both. You are not alone, you are not broken, and there are other ways to cope. Created in collaboration with the Healthy Mum Healthy Bub team and researchers from the University of Sydney, and funded by the Medical Research Future Fund, MAMA brings together something really powerful, lived experience and evidence based research. You’ll hear real stories, practical tools, the latest science around alcohol, anxiety and motherhood, and plenty of laughs along the way. This isn’t a podcast that tells you what to do. There are no labels, no judgement and no lectures. Instead, it’s an invitation to get curious. To ask yourself whether alcohol is helping you become the mum, partner and person you want to be. To understand why alcohol can feel so closely tied to motherhood, and to discover that there might be another way. Whether you’re sober curious, trying to cut back, questioning your drinking, or simply interested in understanding the connection between motherhood, mental health and alcohol, MAMA is here to walk alongside you, one conversation at a time. The teaser is here now, and the full six episode series, along with the Healthy Mum Healthy Bub program, launches next week. Pop the kettle on, settle in, and let’s start this conversation together. @thisismamapod Resources & LinksAbout MAMA MAMA (Motherhood. Alcohol. Mental Health. Anxiety.) is a special podcast series from Sober Awkward, created to complement the Healthy Mum Healthy Bub program. Developed in partnership with researchers from The University of Sydney and supported by funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), MAMA aims to help mums feel less alone, more informed and better supported as they navigate the challenges of early motherhood. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, struggling with anxiety, or questioning the role alcohol plays in your life, you’re in the right place. Healthy Mum Healthy Bub healthymumhealthybub.org.au https://www.sydney.edu.au/matilda-centre Sober Awkward Podcast, books, courses, community, events and support soberawkward.com Victoria’s Books Mumming - A Year of Trying (and Failing) to be a Better Parent - https://amzn.asia/d/08E0CLyS A Thousand Wasted Sundays - https://amzn.asia/d/0eK3l8Bd Sober Awkward Retreats Join Victoria and the Sober Awkward community for alcohol-free retreats, workshops and unforgettable adventures in Australia and overseas. Find out more at: soberawkward.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Introducing MAMA: Motherhood, Alcohol, Mental Health and Anxiety
  3. 3 days ago

    Dave Hughes on Quitting Young and Living in the Now

    Hughesy! This was meant to be a chat about booze… but somehow Vic ended up being spiritually mentored by this legendary Aussie larrikin! Dave Hughes gave up alcohol at just 21 years old, after years of binge drinking, blackouts and waking up with no idea how he had got home. He had watched alcohol control his dad’s life, and one Christmas Eve in 1992, he realised he didn’t want it controlling his future too. Nearly 34 years later, Hughesy joins Vic to talk about growing up in Australia’s deeply ingrained drinking culture, why accepting that he would never drink again made sobriety easier, and how giving up the grog gave him the stability and confidence to begin his comedy career. They also chat about coping with criticism, managing the addictive buzz of applause, and why getting sober dosnt always have to be about getting help - it can just be a really smart choice! But this conversation becomes about much more than booze. Dave shares what getting sacked from radio taught him about ego, why grudges disappear when you stay present, and how real freedom comes from remembering that most of the things we worry about do not matter nearly as much as we think they do. Can giving up alcohol teach you how to stop living in the past, worrying about the future and finally relax into the life happening right now? Listen to find out! - (but if you don't have time the answer is yes!) @dhughesy Go and see Dave in his Australia stand up tour - https://davehughes.com.au/ 📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted Sundays A brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze. 👉 https://amzn.asia/d/0aZ69GpK Vic's book 'Mumming - A year of Trying (and Failing) to be a better parent - https://amzn.asia/d/0bUJTS2W 🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes 👉 www.soberawkward.com 🫖 Join The Cuppa Community Our private, supportive online space for sober folk 👉 www.cuppa.community 📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide Our downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way. 👉 The Sober Awkward Guide 📱 Follow us for daily sober fun: Instagram: @soberawkward TikTok: @soberawkward Facebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Dave Hughes on Quitting Young and Living in the Now
  4. 5 Aug

    The Share Shed: Writing Competition Entries

    The Share Shed – Sober Awkward Writing Competition Specials - Three Years Clear By Amy G Every Thursday, we’re handing the story telling over to you. Over the next few months, Vic will be reading some of the incredible entries from this year’s Sober Awkward Writing Competition. Honest, funny, heartbreaking, hopeful, awkward and beautifully human, these stories come from people all over the world who have experienced the ups and downs of changing their relationship with alcohol. Whether you’re sober curious, newly alcohol-free, years into recovery, or simply wondering if life might feel better without booze, we hope these stories remind you that you’re not alone. Writing has a powerful way of helping us make sense of our lives. It can shine a light on things we’ve hidden away, help us process difficult experiences, and remind us just how resilient we really are. Plus, it’s considerably cheaper than therapy and doesn’t require you to wear pants. So grab a cuppa, get comfortable, and join us for this week’s Share Shed as Vic tells another story from our amazing community. 💛 Resources & Links 📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted Sundays A brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze. 👉 Buy the book here or head to the website to find out more about writing mentorships with Vic. 👉 www.soberawkward.com 🫖 Join The Cuppa Community Our private, supportive online space for sober folk 👉 www.cuppa.community 📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide Our downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way. 👉 The Sober Awkward Guide 📱 Follow us for daily sober fun: Instagram: @soberawkward TikTok: @soberawkward Facebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women 📞 SUPPORT & RESOURCES If anything in today’s episode felt familiar, or you’re worried about your drinking, there is support available. You don’t have to do this alone. 🇦🇺 Australia National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline 📞 1800 250 015 (24/7) https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/alcohol-and-drug-information-service Lifeline 📞 13 11 14 (24/7) https://www.lifeline.org.au Hello Sunday Morning / Daybreak https://hellosundaymorning.org https://daybreakapp.com.au Clean Slate Clinic https://www.cleanslateclinic.com 🇬🇧 United Kingdom Drinkline 📞 0300 123 1110 https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/alcohol-support/ Alcohol Change UK https://alcoholchange.org.uk We Are With You https://www.wearewithyou.org.uk 🌍 International Alcoholics Anonymous https://www.aa.org SMART Recovery https://www.smartrecovery.org 💬 A Gentle Reminder If you’re drinking in the morning to cope, especially with anxiety or withdrawal symptoms, it’s important to speak to a doctor or medical professional. Stopping alcohol suddenly can be unsafe for some people, and getting support can make a huge difference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    The Share Shed: Writing Competition Entries
  5. 2 Aug

    Your Brain, Your Body, Your Hormones, Your Risk - with Professor David Nutt

    How bad is alcohol, really? Is a weekend binge cancelled out by a few sober days and what exactly is happening in our brains during hangxiety? Vic is joined by world renowned psychiatrist and neuroscientist Professor David Nutt, who has spent more than 40 years studying how alcohol and other drugs affect our brains, bodies and behaviour. They explore the moment an evening treat becomes something we need, why women may be affected differently, what changes when we stop drinking and whether science can create the relaxing, sociable effects of alcohol without the hangovers. Professor Nutt also shares his own relationship with alcohol, challenges some of our most comforting drinking myths and reveals the one fact he wishes every drinker understood before taking their first sip. Prepare to have happy hour thoroughly ruined, in the most fascinating way possible. 💛 Resources & Links Professor David Nutt Book links: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Drink-Science-Alcohol-Your-Health/dp/152939323X  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Psychedelics-revolutionary-drugs-change-expert/dp/1529360536/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 The drinks company (SENTIA Spirits): https://sentiaspirits.com/  📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted Sundays A brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze. 👉 https://amzn.asia/d/0aZ69GpK Vic's book 'Mumming - A year of Trying (and Failing) to be a better parent - https://amzn.asia/d/0bUJTS2W 🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes 👉 www.soberawkward.com 🫖 Join The Cuppa Community Our private, supportive online space for sober folk 👉 www.cuppa.community 📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide Our downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way. 👉 The Sober Awkward Guide 📱 Follow us for daily sober fun: Instagram: @soberawkward TikTok: @soberawkward Facebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Your Brain, Your Body, Your Hormones, Your Risk - with Professor David Nutt
  6. 29 Jul

    The Share Shed: Writing Competition Entries

    The Share Shed – Sober Awkward Writing Competition Specials - A Drinking Career - By Kimberley Every Thursday, we’re handing the story telling over to you. Over the next few months, Vic will be reading some of the incredible entries from this year’s Sober Awkward Writing Competition. Honest, funny, heartbreaking, hopeful, awkward and beautifully human, these stories come from people all over the world who have experienced the ups and downs of changing their relationship with alcohol. Whether you’re sober curious, newly alcohol-free, years into recovery, or simply wondering if life might feel better without booze, we hope these stories remind you that you’re not alone. Writing has a powerful way of helping us make sense of our lives. It can shine a light on things we’ve hidden away, help us process difficult experiences, and remind us just how resilient we really are. Plus, it’s considerably cheaper than therapy and doesn’t require you to wear pants. So grab a cuppa, get comfortable, and join us for this week’s Share Shed as Vic tells another story from our amazing community. 💛 Resources & Links 📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted Sundays A brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze. 👉 Buy the book here or head to the website to find out more about writing mentorships with Vic. 👉 www.soberawkward.com 🫖 Join The Cuppa Community Our private, supportive online space for sober folk 👉 www.cuppa.community 📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide Our downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way. 👉 The Sober Awkward Guide 📱 Follow us for daily sober fun: Instagram: @soberawkward TikTok: @soberawkward Facebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women 📞 SUPPORT & RESOURCES If anything in today’s episode felt familiar, or you’re worried about your drinking, there is support available. You don’t have to do this alone. 🇦🇺 Australia National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline 📞 1800 250 015 (24/7) https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/alcohol-and-drug-information-service Lifeline 📞 13 11 14 (24/7) https://www.lifeline.org.au Hello Sunday Morning / Daybreak https://hellosundaymorning.org https://daybreakapp.com.au Clean Slate Clinic https://www.cleanslateclinic.com 🇬🇧 United Kingdom Drinkline 📞 0300 123 1110 https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/alcohol-support/ Alcohol Change UK https://alcoholchange.org.uk We Are With You https://www.wearewithyou.org.uk 🌍 International Alcoholics Anonymous https://www.aa.org SMART Recovery https://www.smartrecovery.org 💬 A Gentle Reminder If you’re drinking in the morning to cope, especially with anxiety or withdrawal symptoms, it’s important to speak to a doctor or medical professional. Stopping alcohol suddenly can be unsafe for some people, and getting support can make a huge difference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    The Share Shed: Writing Competition Entries
  7. 26 Jul

    Beyond the Applause with Gorillaz Bassist Seye Adelekan

    In this episode, Gorillaz bassist Seye Adelekan joins Vic for a wonderfully honest conversation about belonging, family, fame and finding his place in the music world. Seye talks about moving around the world as a child, the family who shaped him, his love of music, touring, the forgotten gigs and the long period he spent in rehab. Now over seven years sober, he shares how recovery changed his life, his relationships and the way he steps onto some of the world’s biggest stages - stone cold sober. Seye wants people to leave his gigs, his online spaces and his everyday interactions with something more than they arrived with, and Vic genuinely felt that warmth by the end of their conversation. He shows sobriety does not have to make you smaller, quieter or less capable of performing in front of a crowd. Sometimes, it helps you stop hiding, own your space and finally understand why you are standing there. (Vic also tells Seye the story of her finger, which, between two former party animals familiar with two-day benders, earns her a surprising amount of respect. Some people bond over music and recovery, while others compare unexplained bodily damage from the old days!) Enjoy! 💛 Resources & Links Follow and Find out more about Seye head to https://www.seyemusic.co.uk @seyemusic 📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted Sundays A brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze. 👉 https://amzn.asia/d/0aZ69GpK Vic's book 'Mumming - A year of Trying (and Failing) to be a better parent - https://amzn.asia/d/0bUJTS2W 🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes 👉 www.soberawkward.com 🫖 Join The Cuppa Community Our private, supportive online space for sober folk 👉 www.cuppa.community 📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide Our downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way. 👉 The Sober Awkward Guide 📱 Follow us for daily sober fun: Instagram: @soberawkward TikTok: @soberawkward Facebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Beyond the Applause with Gorillaz Bassist Seye Adelekan
  8. 22 Jul

    The Share Shed: Writing Competition Entries

    The Share Shed – Sober Awkward Writing Competition Specials - I didn’t realise it was a funeral - By Sarah A huge congratulations to Sarah who was one of this years winners!! Every Thursday, we’re handing the story telling over to you. Over the next few months, Vic will be reading some of the incredible entries from this year’s Sober Awkward Writing Competition. Honest, funny, heartbreaking, hopeful, awkward and beautifully human, these stories come from people all over the world who have experienced the ups and downs of changing their relationship with alcohol. Whether you’re sober curious, newly alcohol-free, years into recovery, or simply wondering if life might feel better without booze, we hope these stories remind you that you’re not alone. Writing has a powerful way of helping us make sense of our lives. It can shine a light on things we’ve hidden away, help us process difficult experiences, and remind us just how resilient we really are. Plus, it’s considerably cheaper than therapy and doesn’t require you to wear pants. So grab a cuppa, get comfortable, and join us for this week’s Share Shed as Vic tells another story from our amazing community. 💛 Resources & Links 📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted Sundays A brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze. 👉 Buy the book here or head to the website to find out more about writing mentorships with Vic. 👉 www.soberawkward.com 🫖 Join The Cuppa Community Our private, supportive online space for sober folk 👉 www.cuppa.community 📘 Get the Sober Awkward Guide Our downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way. 👉 The Sober Awkward Guide 📱 Follow us for daily sober fun: Instagram: @soberawkward TikTok: @soberawkward Facebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women 📞 SUPPORT & RESOURCES If anything in today’s episode felt familiar, or you’re worried about your drinking, there is support available. You don’t have to do this alone. 🇦🇺 Australia National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline 📞 1800 250 015 (24/7) https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/alcohol-and-drug-information-service Lifeline 📞 13 11 14 (24/7) https://www.lifeline.org.au Hello Sunday Morning / Daybreak https://hellosundaymorning.org https://daybreakapp.com.au Clean Slate Clinic https://www.cleanslateclinic.com 🇬🇧 United Kingdom Drinkline 📞 0300 123 1110 https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-advice/alcohol-support/ Alcohol Change UK https://alcoholchange.org.uk We Are With You https://www.wearewithyou.org.uk 🌍 International Alcoholics Anonymous https://www.aa.org SMART Recovery https://www.smartrecovery.org 💬 A Gentle Reminder If you’re drinking in the morning to cope, especially with anxiety or withdrawal symptoms, it’s important to speak to a doctor or medical professional. Stopping alcohol suddenly can be unsafe for some people, and getting support can make a huge difference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    The Share Shed: Writing Competition Entries

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About

Winner, Best Well-Being Podcast at The Australian Podcast Awards 2024 Have you ever woken up after a big night out and declared, “I’m never drinking again,” only to find yourself waving $50 at a barman by Happy Hour? Yep, Vic’s been there too. Join Victoria Vanstone, award-winning podcaster, author, and former binge-drinking party animal, as she explores what it’s really like to be sober in a world absolutely soaked in alcohol. Each week on Sober Awkward, Vic dives into boozy topics, social pressures, anxiety, identity wobbles, and the messy reality of quitting drinking, opening up the shame shed of humiliating stories so you don’t have to feel alone in yours. With humour, honesty, and zero judgement, Vic tells it like it is, from vomit and one-night stands to life on the other side of destructive drinking. If you’ve hit a wall, you’re fed up with anxiety, headaches, and blackouts, or you’re just quietly sober-curious, pop the kettle on and learn how to feel the awkward, and do it anyway. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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