If you’ve ever promised yourself you’d only have a couple of drinks, then found yourself ordering shots and explaining your life story to a stranger in a kebab queue, this episode is for you.
This week, Vic and Ulrika dive headfirst into one of the biggest questions in sobriety: surely I can just have one? It’s the fantasy many of us cling to for years, the dream that one day we’ll become those mysterious people who can sip a glass of wine, leave half of it behind, and wander off home completely uninterested in another.
Together they unpack their own attempts at moderation, the rules, the bargains, the negotiations and the endless mental gymnastics that came with trying to control something that never really wanted to be controlled. They explore why moderation can feel so exhausting, why alcohol takes up so much mental space, and why so many people discover that quitting altogether is actually far simpler than constantly trying to manage it.
Along the way there are stories of disastrous hangover cures, drinking bargains that never worked, dogs with questionable toilet habits, and a frank conversation about why alcohol might deserve far more of the blame than we give it.
Most importantly, Vic and Ulrika discuss the surprising freedom that can come when you stop trying to crack the moderation code altogether. Because sometimes the thing that feels like failure isn’t failure at all. Sometimes failing at moderation is the very thing that points you towards a happier, easier and more peaceful life.
Funny, honest and reassuring, this episode is for anyone who has ever wondered why having “just one” seemed so easy for everyone else and so impossible for them.
Have you got a story, weird drunk confession or a question for Vic and Ulrika?
Email vicandulrika@soberawkward.com. Your message could inspire a future episode.
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Victoria’s brutally honest and hilarious memoir about motherhood, anxiety and ditching the booze.
👉 Get A Thousand Wasted Sundays
A Year of Trying (and Failing) to Be a Better Parent—Vic’s funny and painfully relatable memoir about the messy reality of motherhood.
A 30-day sobriety kickstart filled with relatable support, practical tools and plenty of awkwardness to help you begin life without booze.
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Sober Awkward shares personal experiences and community support, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
If you are physically dependent on alcohol, suddenly stopping can be dangerous. Please speak to a doctor or alcohol-support service for advice on withdrawing safely.
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