Stamford sobriety coach Sober Dave is helping people quit alcohol during Sober October

Have you ever wondered if you’re a bit of an alcoholic?

If the thought of giving up drinking for more than a few days fills you with disappointment or dread, then perhaps it’s time to put your level of addiction to the test.

David Wilson, who lives in Ketton, coaches people in the art of sobriety, having been a functioning alcoholic for much of his adult life.

Friendly and down to earth, he doesn’t preach or push his wares, but he is keen for people to experience the freedom sobriety has brought him - freedom from hangovers, anxiety, poor sleep and bad health.

He also lost seven stones in weight thanks to giving up drink.

“It doesn’t do any harm to look at your drinking and to be aware if it’s becoming a problem,” said David. “And if you can’t take a month off, it’s a problem.”

He refers to ‘grey area drinkers’ - those who are drinking more than is healthy, but who continue to work, parent, socialise and function, albeit not always while feeling their best.

So how much is too much? Anyone having a couple of glasses of wine a night is far outstripping NHS guidance (for men and women) to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week - that’s six medium glasses of wine, or six pints of beer.

David believes covid lockdowns encouraged different drinking habits at home - the hot summer of 2020 combined with not having to drive or go into a workplace meant people were pouring themselves a drink through boredom, or greater opportunity.

His own drinking, though, started a long time before lockdowns.

David’s mum walked out when he was 14 and his dad’s new partner made him feel disliked.

Loneliness and isolation at home drove him to seek recognition elsewhere.

“A gang of lads accepted me and we used to buy cans from the off licence.

“I gained a reputation as a quick drinker and they named me ‘Glugs’. I could down 10 to 12 pints a night.”

A comment from someone that suggested David was ‘an alcoholic’ resulted in him drinking more at home, and having put on weight aged 40 he used Google to discover that vodka contained the least calories.

“Then I was drinking a litre of vodka a night,” he said.

Despite this, David continued to work as a carpet-fitter and made handyman appearances on TV shows such as 60 Minute Makeover and DIY SOS - TV being an arena he describes as “really boozy”.

Aged 54, David visited his GP and was told he could die any day as a result of his lifestyle.

He weighed 21 stone, had high cholesterol, high blood pressure and was taking antidepressants.

Fortunately, on January 7, 2019, a friend mentioned he was giving up drinking for three months, and invited David to join in.

“He framed it in the right way - that he was supporting, not challenging me - and I’ve not had a drink since,” said David.

What he has done since is to launch a podcast called ‘One for the Road’, and write a best-selling book by the same title under the pen name ‘SoberDave’.

His @soberdave Instagram account has 124,000 followers in the UK and around the world, and includes big-name celebrities - although David remains extremely grounded, speaking plainly and without pity about his own experiences.

His one-to-one and group coaching aims to help people change their mindsets about drinking.

This includes overcoming traumas, which David defines as “traumas with a lowercase t” - the small but meaningful emotional triggers that can throw someone off their good intentions to have ‘just one drink’.

It also includes moving on from alcoholism. When ordering a soft drink in a pub, David doesn’t feel the need to tell the people around him he was an alcoholic. He simply tells them he doesn’t drink.

Taking each day in turn worked for David, and six weeks into his friend’s suggested three months he decided he would never drink again.

His advice to people thinking of doing ‘Sober October’ is to have a plan of what to do each day.

David said: “At the time you might normally have a drink, have something different lined up. Go to the gym, or the cinema. Read a book, have a hot bath or go for a walk.

“Eat earlier and buy some nice non-alcoholic drinks. Don’t suffer your way through the month, fill it with treats using the money you’re saving by not drinking and make it feel positive and exciting.

“My advice would be not to think about losing weight. That’s not the aim for the moment.

“And at the end of the month, see what you want to do. You might find you don’t want to drink any more, or you might find you can drink more mindfully.”

As for David, his highs are experienced in different ways these days.

He no longer takes antidepressants - or any medication - and aged 60 he’s down to 14 stone.

“People getting in touch to say they have been helped by my podcasts make me happy,” he said.

“Recently I’ve climbed mountains in Nepal and in Morocco and the experience was unbelievable.”

David has a website www.soberdave.co.uk.

People looking for inspiration and support to be sober can also follow him on Instagram.