Finding Freedom from Alcohol...with Tribe member Lloyd

During this episode I’m in conversation with Lloyd – a South African living in the UK In this episode:- Lloyd’s exposure to alcohol began when he was very young, - both of his parents were alcoholics and in fact he took his first drink as a young child As he got older he continued to drink heavily, - managing to convince himself that he was in control During stressful periods Lloyd's drinking predictably got worse – it had become his main coping mechanism Eventually Lloyd was consuming a litre of gin on a daily basis, - he was also drinking beer and wine throughout the day to avoid the withdrawal symptoms. His drinking habits became increasingly secretive, hiding bottles around the house and finding it difficult to maintain family life and perform well at work Lloyd's drinking escalated to a point where he needed alcohol just to feel normal,- he was frequently ill and vomiting early in the mornings. He finally hit rock bottom, following a weekend of heavy binge drinking. He experienced severe physical symptoms and knew he could not go on like this… Lloyd eventually opened up to his wife - after reaching a point where he couldn't keep any food or drink down and his body was shaking uncontrollably. Lloyd joined Tribe Sober and quit cold turkey – in fact this is not something we recommend for anyone who has been drinking so much on a daily basis – we always recommend they go and talk to their doctor who may recommend a medical detox under supervision Quitting suddenly when you’ve been a very heavy drinker can prove to be fatal and in Lloyd had such severe withdrawal symptoms that he ended up in hospital. Fortunately they helped him to stabilise and when he left hospital he began to connect regularly with his Tribe, listening to podcasts and reading the quitlit Lloyd did brilliantly and even went on a very boozy pre-wedding weekend with a bunch of guys…and managed to stay sober – well done Lloyd – we salute you! He describes the benefits of sobriety as truly life-changing – he has much better mental and physical health, as well as more meaningful relationships, particularly with his family. He highlights how sobriety has allowed him to fully engage with life, including reconnecting with his passions, such as gardening, and of course becoming a better father and husband. More Info Tribe Sober membership – you can join up HERE. To access our website, click HERE. If you would like a free copy of our “Annual Tracker” or our e-book 66 Days to Sobriety, please email [email protected]. If you would like to come to our Saturday afternoon Zoom Cafe as a guest and meet our community, just email [email protected].   Episode Sponsor This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up today Read more about our program and subscribe here Bootcamp on Demand          To kickstart your alcohol free life check out our Bootcamp on Demand here   Help us to Spread the Word! We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share. If you enjoyed the podcast, then please leave us a 5-star review on Apple podcasts. Take a screenshot of your review, and DM it to Tribe Sober’s Instagram page – see PS below for instructions. We’ll send you something special to say thank you! We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning. You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram. You can join our private Facebook group HERE. PS: How to Leave a Rating/Review in Apple Podcasts (on an iOS Device) Open the Podcasts app. EASY. Choose “Search” from the bottom row of icons and enter the name of the show (e.g. Tribe Sober) into the search field. Select the show under Shows (not under Episodes). Scroll down past the first few episodes until you see Ratings & Reviews. Click Write a Review underneath the displayed reviews from other listeners. You’ll then have the option to rate the show on a 5-star scale and write a review (you can rate without writing too but it’s always good to read your experience).