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 explain how Vic's science brain makes her a pessimist about anything slightly off the reality scale. She...
May 07, 2023•53 min•Season 5Ep. 19
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 whilst the inner-stings in Hame tried to barter with him that there are no down sides to free alcoho...
Apr 30, 2023•53 min•Season 5Ep. 18
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 tackle this episode. You will also hear their answers to the less important ones like why Vic has an irra...
Apr 23, 2023•44 min•Season 5Ep. 17
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 off a toilet floor! But.. now they are both sober and have a little bit of guilt lurking in their loin...
Apr 16, 2023•43 min•Season 5Ep. 16
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 story. Their partners, John and Liz. How do they feel about sobriety and did it make them question th...
Apr 09, 2023•51 min•Season 5Ep. 15
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 BBQ - not a lot will keep a camper from their alcohol. So how can you continue to enjoy camping in you...
Apr 02, 2023•50 min•Season 5Ep. 14
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 addiction, for others it’s a lifestyle choice but either way, it’s all about health...mental and physical...
Mar 26, 2023•55 min•Season 5Ep. 13
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 avoidance of a relapse. If you ask 1000 newly sober people what benefits they have felt in the early days of...
Mar 19, 2023•51 min•Season 5Ep. 12
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 bang... and more of a quiet high five with someone that cares. Vic also reflects on the past 5 years a...
Mar 12, 2023•54 min•Season 5Ep. 11
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. These can be heavy drinking years. Years when drinking for a bit of 'fun' - soon turns into an uncontr...
Mar 05, 2023•54 min•Season 5Ep. 10
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 anyway. They hope that by the end of today’s episode you will decide to try something new, replace the ...
Feb 26, 2023•53 min•Season 5Ep. 9
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 relationship with alcohol altogether. Here's the news flash though - alcohol will not help 'take the edge ...
Feb 19, 2023•50 min•Season 5Ep. 8
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 this process. In this vulnerable episode of Sober Awkward, Vic reveals some of her more extreme peopl...
Feb 12, 2023•1 hr 8 min•Season 5Ep. 7
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 take a look at exactly how they would like alcohol to be taught as a subject in schools. They will cov...
Feb 05, 2023•45 min•Season 5Ep. 6
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 before alcohol comes on the scene. They cover the importance of keeping open the lines of communication a...
Jan 29, 2023•59 min•Season 5Ep. 5
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 episode you will hear how becoming a parent affected both of their drinking and they will share some tip...
Jan 22, 2023•58 min•Season 5Ep. 1
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 can abstain, one won't hurt.' and you find yourself tuning in. "Maybe one will be ok? Yes! - That's ...
Jan 15, 2023•55 min•Season 5Ep. 3
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 them to your advantage. Ultimately, we should we aiming for a place where what people say or think of ...
Jan 08, 2023•46 min•Season 5Ep. 2
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 to hear that Vic and Hamish are going to make you a cup of hot chocolate, give you a cuddle and ensu...
Dec 31, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Season 5Ep. 1
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 one of thier most popular episodes. In this special Christmas Eve episode they want to go deeper…and d...
Dec 23, 2022•54 min•Season 4Ep. 22
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 potatoes. Habits so ingrained that us sober people want to run for the hills... or worse, cave in under th...
Dec 18, 2022•52 min•Season 4Ep. 21
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 she needed help to quit booze, and the affect her drinking had on her mental health... and her family....
Dec 11, 2022•35 min•Season 4Ep. 20
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 on grog. Is it due to the pandemic? Does social media play a part? or are people just more aware of t...
Dec 04, 2022•42 min•Season 4Ep. 19
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 roll back the wheels of time to take a look at when this all began. They explore the dangers of this ...
Nov 27, 2022•41 min•Season 4Ep. 18
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's episode Hamish and Vic take a deeper look into why so many turn to the bottle on travel days. Hame...
Nov 20, 2022•45 min•Season 4Ep. 17
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 your new sober life and they give you some great tips on why having a few mates that don't drink will ...
Nov 13, 2022•31 min•Season 4Ep. 16
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 they have navigated this tricky and emotional part of sobriety. Today you will find out why Vic finds...
Nov 06, 2022•44 min•Season 4Ep. 15
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 them. Being present is one of the superpowers of sobriety and although facing these situations might ap...
Oct 30, 2022•42 min•Season 4Ep. 14
It's time to let it go people! Today Vic and Hamish are here to tell you about all those awful antics they got up to when under the influence and discover that none of it was their fault - it was booze! In this funny episode they dredge up three of their more shameful misdemeanours in the safety of the booth. Hamish tells a few puke stories and Vic reminisces about the time she locked someone in a room for 12 hours.... don't worry it's not as bad as it sounds! They've also created a 'Shame Shed ...
Oct 23, 2022•42 min•Season 4Ep. 13
For some of us sober folk, alcohol free drinks have been the saviour. The magical invisibility cloak that allows us to blend into social gatherings. Whilst for others - they are very much part of the problem. They can be the trigger that pushes us off the wagon and straight back into drinking. Today the guys take a peek into the benefits and risks of this exploding industry. They have tasted the great ones, the medium ones and the cats piss of the alcohol free world! Hamish and Vic discuss the r...
Oct 16, 2022•43 min•Season 4Ep. 12
