Sober Gay Socials

Stephen Wilkinson

Hi Sober Tribe and welcome to the Sober Gay Socials Podcast where we have honest conversations about addiction and recovery in the gay community.

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Episodes

11 - Rehab Recovery Relapse Repeat
Dec 30 2023
11 - Rehab Recovery Relapse Repeat
Hi Sober Tribe and welcome to the sober gay socials podcast where we have honest conversations about addiction and recovery in the gay community.I’m your host Stephen and this is episode 11Now more often than not, we only tend hear stories about people who are smashing sobriety and living their best authentic lives, when in reality there are so many people out there who are continually struggling on a daily basis with their addiction and their ability to maintain long term sobriety.Unfortunately, when people are struggling with their sobriety, there’s a fear that they may be seen as a failure or weak, and in turn this often intensifies any feelings of shame and guilt that they may already be feeling, having a knock on affect that keeps them stuck in active addiction.  So on today’s show we have Dan. He’s a recent member to the Sober Gay Socials group and he’s here to talk about his journey and his ongoing struggle with sobriety. By clicking on the links provided below, you can follow the group on Instagram, as well as join the Sober Gay Socials Facebook group where you’ll be able to meet all of our fantastic members and see what social events we have coming up.  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/534027761026660/Insta: https://www.instagram.com/sobergaysocials/?hl=en-gbOr why not visit our website https://www.sobergaysocials.com  which is jam pack with news, events and also our resources section signposting you to our free Counselling Sessions which is Available to UK Residents only… along with directories for other drug and alcohol recovery support agencies.  Want to be a guest on the show? then drop me an email with your contact details to: stephen@sobergaysocials.com And finally, if you’ve enjoyed this episode, then please Like, Subscribe and Leave a Review… but most importantly, don’t forget to share this podcast with your friends.  Well, that’s all from me, thanks for listening Sober Tribe, and I’ll speak with you soon.
8 - Sober Spaces - What are they and why do we need them?
Aug 11 2023
8 - Sober Spaces - What are they and why do we need them?
Hi Sober Tribe and welcome to the sober gay socials podcast where we have honest conversations about addiction and recovery in the gay community.I’m your host Stephen and this is Episode 8On today's show we have Jane and Chris who are members of the group and we are talking about Sober Spaces. What are they and why do we need them. If you enjoyed this episode then please Subscribe, Like, and Leave a Review, and don’t forget to share it with your friends.You can also follow us on Insta as well as join the Sober Gay Socials Facebook group where you’ll be able to meet all of our fantastic members as well as get notifications of our upcoming social events.  Just search Sober Gay Socials or click on the links provided belowFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/534027761026660/Insta: https://www.instagram.com/sobergaysocials/?hl=en-gbWe also now have the brand new website! It has everything you need all in one place.... so go and check that out!  http://sobergaysocials.com/For information about our free Counselling Sessions (Available to UK Residents Only), or to be a Guest on the show then please send me an email with your contact details to hello@sobergaysocials.comYou can follow Chris on Insta by clicking this link: https://instagram.com/cubseven?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=And you can follow Jane on inst by clicking this link:https://www.instagram.com/janeysax/?hl=en-gbFor an extensive range of Alcohol-Free drinks check out The Alcohol-Free Drinks Company at  https://alcoholfreedrinks.co.ukAnd to find out what Sober Events are going on in your area check out Michael Sargood's Sober Socials at  https://sobersocials.co.uk
7 - Performing Sober
Jul 19 2023
7 - Performing Sober
Hi Sober Tribe and welcome to the sober gay socials podcast where we have honest conversations about addiction and recovery in the gay community.I’m your host Stephen and this is episode 7On todays show we have the fabulous and outrageous Jordy Shaw aka Shea Taylor. He’s the creator and host of The Big Gay Game Show which is held monthly at the Brewers on Canal Street Manchester and he’s here to talk about his struggle with alcohol, mental health and also what it’s like Performing Sober. If you enjoyed this episode then please Subscribe, Like, and Leave a Review, and don’t forget to share it with your friends.You can also follow us on Insta as well as join the Sober Gay Socials Facebook group where you’ll be able to meet all of our fantastic members as well as get notifications of our upcoming social events.  Just search Sober Gay Socials or click on the links provided belowFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/534027761026660/Insta: https://www.instagram.com/sobergaysocials/?hl=en-gbFor information about our free Counselling Sessions (Available to UK Residents Only), or to be a Guest on the show then please send me an email with your contact details to hello@sobergaysocials.org.ukYou can follow Jordy Shaw on Insta by clicking this link:  https://www.instagram.com/thejordyshaw/?hl=en-gbFor an extensive range of Alcohol-Free drinks check out The Alcohol-Free Drinks Company at  https://alcoholfreedrinks.co.ukAnd to find out what Sober Events are going on in your area check out Michael Sargood's Sober Socials at  https://sobersocials.co.uk
6 - Celebrating Pride Month
Jun 12 2023
6 - Celebrating Pride Month
Hi Sober Tribe and welcome to the Sober Gay Socials podcast where we have honest conversations about addiction and recovery in the gay community.I’m your host Stephen and this is episode 6It’s PRIDE Month and I’m SOOOO excited as we’ve got so much going with our Sober Spaces. We’ll be hosting the first ever sober spaces at both Salford Prides Pink Picnic which is on the 17th June and at Stockport Pride on the 30th July so come and find us there. Plus following on from the success of our sober space at last years Manchester Pride - which just for the record was the first ever sober space to be held within a Gay Pride Event in the UK – we have been asked to come back again this year… so we’ve decided to create an even bigger and better space that will have a fully stocked alcohol free bar with the support of The Alcohol-Free Drinks Company along with some amazing events and acts lined up. The space will also be home to other Manchester based alcohol and drug recovery support groups and agencies… so there’s plenty to look forward to over the coming months. If you enjoyed this episode then please Subscribe, Like, and Leave a Review, and don’t forget to share it with your friends.You can also follow us on Insta as well as join the Sober Gay Socials Facebook group where you’ll be able to meet all of our fantastic members as well as get notifications of our upcoming social events.  Just search Sober Gay Socials or click on the links provided belowFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/534027761026660/Insta: https://www.instagram.com/sobergaysocials/?hl=en-gbFor information about our free Counselling Sessions (Available to UK Residents Only), or to be a Guest on the show then please send me an email with your contact details to hello@sobergaysocials.org.ukYou can follow Chris on Insta by clicking this link: https://instagram.com/cubseven?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=For an extensive range of Alcohol-Free drinks check out The Alcohol-Free Drinks Company - https://alcoholfreedrinks.co.ukAnd to find out what Sober events are going on in your area check out https://sobersocials.co.uk
5 - Why is Sober Dating so Challenging
Apr 23 2023
5 - Why is Sober Dating so Challenging
Hi Sober Tribe and welcome to the Sober Gay Socials podcast where we have honest conversations about addiction and recovery in the gay community.I’m your host Stephen and this is episode 5The majority of my dating life, especially the early stages of dating, was heavily  influenced by the social lubricant known as alcohol... So, when I made the decision to cut the booze out of my life I had to learn a thing or two about how to navigate the world of dating without it. So I've invited Jane and Chris to the show to discuss... Why is Sober Dating so challenging.If you enjoyed this episode then please Subscribe, Like, and Leave a Review, and don’t forget to share it with your friends.You can also follow us on Insta as well as join the Sober Gay Socials Facebook group where you’ll be able to meet all of our fantastic members as well as get notifications of our upcoming social events.  Just search Sober Gay Socials or click on the links provided belowFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/534027761026660/Insta: https://www.instagram.com/sobergaysocials/?hl=en-gbFor information about our free Counselling Sessions (Available to UK Residents Only), or to be a Guest on the show then please send me an email with your contact details to hello@sobergaysocials.org.uk You can follow Chris on Insta by clicking this link: https://instagram.com/cubseven?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=And you can find Jane on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/jane.saxton.104
4 - Create a Solid Recovery Foundation
Mar 27 2023
4 - Create a Solid Recovery Foundation
Hi Sober Tribe and welcome to the Sober Gay Socials podcast where we have honest conversations about Addiction and Recovery in the Gay Community.On today's show we will be taking about How to Create a Solid Recovery Foundation and here to help me is one of our group members and close friend Chris. Chris was on the show a few weeks ago - Episode 2 - taking about Chem Sex.Getting sober is one thing… but maintaining long term sobriety is another and for that you need a solid foundation to work from. I like to think of it as building a house. You can’t build a lasting structure on an unstable surface… it just going to collapse. If you keep repeating this cycle, you’re just going to end up acting as a self-fulfilling prophecy ans saying “I Can’t Do This” and give up. If you are serious about getting sober, you need to understand what it is you need to create a solid foundation. If you enjoyed this episode then please Subscribe, Like, and Leave a Review, and don’t forget to share it with your friends. You can also join the Sober Gay Socials group on Facebook where you’ll find all of our upcoming social events posted, and you can follow us on Insta by clicking on the links below: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/534027761026660/ Insta: https://www.instagram.com/sobergaysocials/?hl=en-gbFor information about our free Counselling Sessions (Available to UK Residents Only), or to be a Guest on the show then please send me an email with your contact details to hello@sobergaysocials.org.uk  You can follow Chris on Insta by clicking this link: https://instagram.com/cubseven?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=