{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/64a1692cfc86ab00111f2ce6/64a1693a779dba00115088b2?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"I Thought Alcohol Helped My Anxiety… It Made It Worse","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/64a1692cfc86ab00111f2ce6/64a1693a779dba00115088b2.jpg?height=200","description":"<p>Sam Phillips shares his story of how drinking started young and slowly took over his life.</p><p><br></p><p>Growing up with anxiety, overthinking, and constant fear, alcohol felt like a solution at first. It gave him confidence, helped him fit in, and quieted everything going on in his head. But over time, that relief didn’t last.</p><p><br></p><p>What started as weekend drinking turned into daily drinking, isolation, and eventually losing everything — including his home, relationships, and sense of self.</p><p><br></p><p>In this conversation, Sam opens up about:</p><p><br></p><ul><li>using alcohol to cope with anxiety</li><li>how drinking made his mental health worse</li><li>blackouts, risky behavior, and losing control</li><li>drinking alone and hitting rock bottom</li><li>relapse after trying to quit on his own</li><li>how community, meetings, and connection changed everything</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Sam is now over 17 months sober and focused on helping others through sobriety, mental health awareness, and building real connection.</p><p><br></p><p>If you’re struggling with alcohol, anxiety, or feel stuck in the cycle, this episode will hit home.</p><p><br></p><p>If you want to connect with me via Instagram, you can find me on the instahandle @Soberdave&nbsp;<a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/soberdave/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.instagram.com/soberdave/</a></p><p>or via my website&nbsp;<a href=\"https://davidwilsoncoaching.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://davidwilsoncoaching.com/</a></p><p><br></p><p>My Guest Sam's Instagram: <a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dare_to_dip/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.instagram.com/dare_to_dip/</a></p><p><br></p><p>Provided below are links for services offering additional help:</p><p><a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/dare_to_dip/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.instagram.com/dare_to_dip/</a></p><p><br></p><p><a href=\"https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/advice/alcohol-support-services\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">www.drinkaware.co.uk/advice/alcohol-support-services</a></p><p><a href=\"https://nacoa.org.uk/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://nacoa.org.uk/</a></p><p>Show producer- Daniella Attanasio-Martinez</p><p>Instagram - @TheDaniellaMartinez</p><p><a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/thedaniellamartinez/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.instagram.com/thedaniellamartinez/</a></p><p><a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/grownuphustle/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">https://www.instagram.com/grownuphustle/</a></p>","author_name":"David Wilson - Sober Coach"}