Julie’s Story: “I Was Living on Wine — Now I’m Living My Life”

Just The Tonic Coaching – Real Experiences of Becoming Alcohol-Free

Can You Tell Me About Yourself?

I’m Julie. I live on an island in Scotland. This time last year, I was at my very lowest.

How Much Were You Drinking Before Joining Just The Tonic?

My drinking had built up gradually. I was waiting for just after 10 in the morning where I could go to my local shop to buy wine. That’s how bad it had got.

I started that early in the morning. And I would basically drink till I passed out. All I did was go to the shop, come back, drink, go to the shop, come back and drink. So that’s how bad my life had got.

What Made You Decide to Ask for Help?

I just realised that I really couldn’t go on anymore. I wasn’t living. I was just getting through each day and not having any kind of life at all.

I’m Catholic, I do go to Mass, and I was too drunk to go to Mass at Christmas. For me, that was just the absolute pits. I missed Christmas, I missed New Year. And thought, I need to do something about it.

So that’s why I decided to change my life.

What Were You Hoping For When You Started?

Probably that I would cut down drinking, because the thought of stopping drinking completely terrified me. And I didn’t think I would be able to do it.

But I thought if I could cut down, if I could get control of it, then I would be happy with that. I thought that would be enough — not realising how much else I would gain from this.

How Did You Find the Programme and the Group?

I would say I made progress really quite quickly. I think if you tell me I can’t drink at all, I’ll just drink more.

But because of the guidance, you could have a plan for the week. To maybe be having a drink maybe two or three nights in the first couple of weeks — it was manageable for me. And because I could see that I could manage that, it made the next week easier.

To be honest, if I knew at the start it involved group chats on Zoom calls, I might not have actually joined, because things like that terrify me.

And it amazed me how quickly I really enjoyed it. I just loved meeting the people and hearing their stories, and seeing that we’re just people like me, that had kind of lost their way a bit with drink — but they were enjoying life, and they were living life.

What Was It Like When You Went Alcohol-Free?

By week seven, I knew I was ready. I was definitely ready.

Because of the modules, because of the group support, because of the one-to-one calls — I was ready.

But as you know, I did a final drink. And for me, that definitely helped. Because I spent a day drinking again, like I had been before I’d made the first call. And I videoed myself on and off throughout the day, talking about how I felt.

Then the next day, when I was very hungover, I did the same again.

That really helped me. Because watching that back, I thought, I never, ever want to feel like that again.

So I was definitely ready to not drink. And as soon as I stopped, I haven’t even touched it since. I haven’t had any blip or anything since.

What’s Changed Since You Quit Drinking?

Everything.

I can’t believe the change. It’s just transformed my life. I am living my life. I’m thoroughly enjoying my life. And I’m liking me as a person.

I have had bad news. My husband was diagnosed with cancer, so I have had difficult times where I would have automatically gone to numb out. And there were times I would have liked to.

But I don’t even need to watch again how I was during that final drink. I just need to think about it now, and there is no way I would go back to that again.

My confidence is even better than it was before. The way the programme is, it kind of helps you to think about yourself, deal with things from the past, and come to terms with certain things.

And I realised, no — I’m okay. I’m okay as a person.

I was isolating myself. And now, last week, I was in Edinburgh at the Christmas markets with a friend I’ve made since I joined the group. I was out for lunch yesterday. I’m getting out for coffee this afternoon.

So, I’m living.

I remember at the start you asked what I hoped for. I wanted to control my drinking. And I said I’d just like to have a job.

At that point, that didn’t seem achievable.

And now I’m not drinking at all, not wanting to drink — and I’m starting a new job.

What Would You Tell Others Who Are Struggling?

You have to make the call.

Because really, what have you got to lose?

You have to be open, and you have to give everything to it. If you’re really feeling that low, you have to make that call. Because you’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.

It takes a lot of courage to do. But I was so desperate and so low, I knew I needed to make the call.

When I’d seen you speaking about it, it made so much sense. I thought, this is something I can maybe do.

And that’s why I made the call.

I’m so glad I did.

Ready to Change Your Relationship with Alcohol?

If Julie’s story resonates with you, you’re not alone — and you don’t need willpower to change.
Just The Tonic Coaching offers a proven, neuroscience-based method designed for real people with real lives.

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