Picture the scene: you’re trying to be good when all of a sudden, you’re offered a free drink. It might be during a flight or on holiday; at a wedding, a party, a restaurant meal or a work conference… Wherever it is, there’s something…

You keep thinking about quitting drinking, but every time you’re about to dive in and really go for it, the fear of failure takes over. Suddenly, there are 101 reasons why now isn’t the right time: you’ve got a holiday coming up, you’re…

In our boozy world, alcohol and celebration tend to go hand in hand. So how do you stay sober at a wedding or party and still have fun with everyone else? For many people, the idea of not drinking at these events feels so daunting…

When it comes to sober celebrities, it tends to be the stars who’re struggling that grab the headlines. This is a shame, because it reinforces the impression that alcohol-free living is hard or just for people who’ve hit rock bottom…

At this time of year I often hear from people who’re worried that a sober holiday means missing out. They can’t imagine skipping cocktails by the pool or saying no to wine with their evening meal. Sampling the local booze is all part…

“The most expensive thing about having children is all the wine you have to drink!” “You’re not really drinking alone if the kids are at home!” Nowadays, this kind of messaging seems to be everywhere, from fridge magnets to cards…

I can’t tell you how many times I swore I was done with drinking. I’d decide I’d had enough – it was time to stop. But then the doubts would creep in. I’d start to wonder if I was overreacting. I’d find ways to justify my drinking and convince…

“Is my drinking normal?” I used to ask myself this question all the time. At the height of my drinking career, my alcohol intake certainly didn’t feel ‘normal’. I tried all kinds of things to cut back, but nothing ever worked for…

Today I’m celebrating 6 years of alcohol-free living. Six YEARS! I’m so pleased that back in April 2013 – for some unknown reason – I finally decided to pay attention to the voice in my head that had been wondering whether I’d be…

“You’re hardly an alcoholic!” That’s the kind of reaction I used to get whenever I spoke to my friends about my drinking.And to be honest, it’s the kind of thing I said to myself too. When I thought about problem drinking, I used to…

Back when I was drinking too much, but I didn’t know what to do about it, I tried hard to ‘be good’ from Monday to Thursday. I could get my head around staying alcohol-free during the working week. But a sober Friday, Saturday and…

“I’m not stupid. I’m not helpless. So why can’t I figure out how to stop drinking?” This is something I used to ask myself a lot. In other areas of my life I was proactive and determined; I was great at problem solving and finding solutions…