Alcohol? Or Actual Coping Mechanisms?
Sober Awkward
Victoria Vanstone
4.8 • 533 Ratings
🗓️ 2 November 2025
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week on Sober Awkward, Vic and Hamish accidentally create an entire episode about wanking… well, sort of. What started as a heartfelt chat about emotional coping mechanisms somehow spiralled into the world’s most awkward discussion about alone time, saunas, and self-soothing — in every sense of the word.
Inspired by a quote from Elle Macpherson’s autobiography “Stop focusing on the problem and start focusing on the solution” the duo explore what it really means to cope without booze. From rage walks and cold plunges to routines, therapy, and slightly questionable spa habits, they break down how to survive life’s chaos without pouring a drink (or crying into one).
Vic shares a very uninspiring story about having a cup of tea and Hamish tells us all about being dull and how his routine helps him feel safe. Expect belly laughs, awkward honesty, and the occasional over-share as Vic and Hamish prove that emotional growth is messy, funny, and occasionally involves a flannel.
💛 Resources & Links
📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted Sundays
A brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The cattle's boiled, Vic. |
| 0:03.8 | Great, perfect timing. |
| 0:05.7 | Just a dash of milk for me, please, mate. |
| 0:09.5 | Here you go. |
| 0:10.9 | Should we get started then? |
| 0:17.3 | Have you ever woken up on a Sunday morning and said, |
| 0:19.9 | I'm never drinking again, |
| 0:21.4 | and then found yourself waving 50 bucks at a barman by happy hour? |
| 0:25.1 | Are you wondering why everyone else can stop at one, |
| 0:27.8 | while you head to a dodgy after-party with a weird bloke called Disco Dave? |
| 0:31.6 | If so, it might be time to take a deeper look at your relationship with your reliable social crutch, alcohol. |
| 0:38.1 | On each episode, we'll investigate our own dysfunctional dealings with booze |
| 0:42.2 | and find out if it's possible to stop this deeply ingrained habit before things get too messy. |
| 0:47.5 | Yep, we're going to open up a shame shed of humiliating drinking stories |
| 0:51.1 | to help you understand why waking up from a booze coma each weekend with a |
| 0:54.9 | kebab sticking out of your top pocket might actually be negatively impacting your health. |
| 0:59.9 | Hamish and I are here to delve into what it's like being sober. An unwanted warts and all look |
| 1:05.3 | into why giving up those cheeky pints or putting down those mummy wines will make you feel happier, |
| 1:12.5 | help your anxiety in mental health and turn you into the most sparkly authentic version of you. Won't that mean I become boring though, |
| 1:17.7 | Vic? Well, Hamish, we'll just have to wait and see. I'm Victoria Vanstone. I'm Hamish Adams-Cans. |
| 1:24.1 | And this is soberber Awkward. |
| 1:36.0 | This idea came to me when I was at an airport. I went to the book section and I found Earl McPherson's autobiography. And obviously I started by looking at all the photographs, not because |
... |
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