Sober Inspiration Project
The Sober Inspiration Project is aimed at people, just like me who might shy away from social media. I avoided the online world because many people seemed to be enjoying their lives, while I felt lonely, miserable and isolated.
What I didn't realise is that the alcohol I was using to try to help me relax and reduce my anxiety was doing exactly the oppositeā¦.
Nearly a decade ago, my doctor was telling me to stop drinking. The only support I heard of at that point was AA. I attended many meetings, but I just couldn't āget itā. The shame and fear of not being able to embrace the program just led me to retreat and pretty much give up hope.
When I finally discovered in November, 2020 that there were alternative ways of looking at alcohol after reading William Porters book, Alcohol Explained, I swiftly joined one of the private facebook groups and could not believe that thousands of others were changing their lives, and rather than being an āalcoholicā they were finding freedom, and a new way of living!
So I wanted to share it!!
I began to ask the people that were now my friends in the sobriety groups to send me postcards sharing their new found freedom and support that they have found online. I would then copy and laminate them and put them up in public spaces. I wanted to reach out to share the joy to a passer by who might just need to see that there are alternatives in finding a new way of living, and of course finding freedom from addiction to alcohol!
The post office box was open for 6 months and attracted around 100 people to write to me. It was so exciting! I have since done around 8 pop up exhibitions in the South of the UK. One lasted for dry January last year, where I used the cards to decorate an abandoned phone box with them.
I have done a few pop up exhibitions in Hyde park in London too. These have been a fantastic opportunity to invite others along and have a meet up too. Ive now met many new friends through the online sober community in real life too!
I am reopening a new post office box for Sober October, 2022. I'm hoping that people will join in to send more cards so that I can add to and expand the exhibitions. I'm encouraging people to share their favourite online education and support groups too. We can all have a small part to play in raising awareness, and reach out to others who may still not realise about the amazing support that the online world is now providing.
I will share the post office box address soon and hope you can join this developing project to raise awareness.
