I started drinking when I was 14 years old. I was a typical kid who lived in quite a rough area, and I was very easily led. Quite often I would hang around the shops getting older kids to buy cheap cider and fags out of the offie. I suppose what saved me in a way was my love for football. I still got pissed but in hindsight it was more normal, the Friday and Saturday nights out with the boys.

It was in my early thirties when I began to ramp it up. I was a regular in the local pub, and I gained the nickname of “Gluggs” because I could down 6 pints of an hour or so before I went home to do some real drinking. It was in my forties when I started drinking heavily at home, because I could get more pissed than if I went out.

I eventually got to the stage where I could comfortably down a litre of vodka a night, and still get up for work the next day. My liver started to ache everyday, I gained a lot of weight, and my blood pressure was at an all time worrying high.

I met my now wife Emma, and I couldn’t hide my addiction from her, even though I tried. She found empty wine bottles behind cupboards, miniatures in sock drawers, and even caught me swigging brandy out of the bottle in the reflection of the window one evening. My life hit an all time low. I often ended up over the common after a pub binge, drinking two bottles of wine and staggering back home.

Just before Christmas 2018 Em looked at me and said “ I don’t think I can deal with this much longer “. My heart broke on the spot as I watched her walk away. This was my baby, my Em, who had been brought to her knees by my chronic addiction.
Christmas came and went.

Early January enough was enough, one Monday morning I crawled into work with a stinking hangover, a good friend of mine messaged me.“ How do you feel about giving up drinking for 3 months to see where you are in life, your marriage, health etc. I threw my phone on the car seat and grumbled yeah right!! That evening I had made my mind up! This was it! No more booze! And literally that was 9 months ago, and I haven’t looked back.

I created an instagram page @soberdave and my goal is to help others who are addicted to this terrible substance, and to support them to either be mindful about their drinking, or in most cases give it up for good. My life has never been better, my wonderful marriage is back on track, my blood pressure is completely normal now, and I have lost nearly 12kg. Sobriety  is amazing, and I want to share my journey, the honest, everyday reality of my newly found lease of life.

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