Over The Influence: The Alcohol Free Podcast

This week we are joined on the podcast by the fantastic author Justin B. Long!
Justin takes us through the reasons why his drinking got out of control, stemming from his difficult childhood. If you'd have told him fifteen years ago that he is where he is today, he wouldn't have believed you.
His books include his inspirational memoir The Righteous Rage of a Ten-Year-Old Boy: A Journey of Self-Discovery and his series The Adventures of the Horse Doctor’s Husband , written about his raucous adventurers with his wife who is (you guessed it) a famous horse doctor.
Thank you to Justin for sharing your story with us, we're sure that his story will resonate with many of you, our dear listeners, and if you'd like to keep up to date with all things Justin, you can do so at jboydlong.com.
---
Get In Touch:
Of course, you can always get in touch with us (publicly or privately) on our socials - @alcoholfreepod on Instagram, or search for "Over The Influence" on Facebook.
We'd love to hear your story - please get in touch with us directly at [email protected] or go to our website, www.overtheinfluence.co.uk
---
The Premium Podcast:
If you love OTI and you'd like to hear behind the curtain, subscribe to the OTI Premium Podcast now!
---
Links:
For links to alcohol-related support services, please visit our website.
---
Disclaimer:
All views expressed in this podcast are of the participants themselves, and not necessarily those of Over The Influence (OTI) Ltd. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We are not medical professionals but normal people giving their own experiences of removing alcohol from their lives, and as such this podcast should not be considered professional advice. If you are dependent on alcohol, or think you may be, we strongly recommend that you seek professional medical advice.
---
Helpful Hashtags:
We found hashtags and sober social media accounts really helpful in our early days alcohol free, as following them can help to reinforce that you are not alone! These are some of the hashtags we've followed:
#alcoholfree #stopdrinking #healthandwellnessjourney #zeroalcohol #idontdrink #sobercurious #healthydrinking #alcoholfreelife #soberaf #alcoholfreeliving #sobermotivation #podcast #healthpodcast #noalcohol #nobooze #sober #sobercurious #soberlofe #soberliving #sobercommunity #afcommunity #soberwomen #sobermom #sobermomtribe #sobersisters #sobriety #soberuk #soberjourney #sobrietyrocks #overtheinfluence #oti

This week we welcome the fantastic Luke Colson onto the podcast all the way from sunny California!
Luke is a fellow sobriety advocate and has come along to tell us about some of the lows he reached as a drinker, but more importantly the glorious highs that he's now enjoying as a non-drinker.
Luke is a fascinating person to listen to, we could have chatted to him all day. If you enjoy this episode (we suspect you might), then you can listen into Luke's podcast 'Well, That F*cked Me Up!' in all the same places that you can find ours.
You can also give him a follow on Instagram@lukecolson or TikTok @luke.is.alive_
---
Get In Touch:
Of course, you can always get in touch with us (publicly or privately) on our socials - @alcoholfreepod on Instagram, or search for "Over The Influence" on Facebook.
We'd love to hear your story - please get in touch with us directly at [email protected] or go to our website, www.overtheinfluence.co.uk
---
The Premium Podcast:
If you love OTI and you'd like to hear behind the curtain, subscribe to the OTI Premium Podcast now!
---
Links:
For links to alcohol-related support services, please visit our website.
---
Disclaimer:
All views expressed in this podcast are of the participants themselves, and not necessarily those of Over The Influence (OTI) Ltd. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We are not medical professionals but normal people giving their own experiences of removing alcohol from their lives, and as such this podcast should not be considered professional advice. If you are dependent on alcohol, or think you may be, we strongly recommend that you seek professional medical advice.
---
Helpful Hashtags:
We found hashtags and sober social media accounts really helpful in our early days alcohol free, as following them can help to reinforce that you are not alone! These are some of the hashtags we've followed:
#alcoholfree #stopdrinking #healthandwellnessjourney #zeroalcohol #idontdrink #sobercurious #healthydrinking #alcoholfreelife #soberaf #alcoholfreeliving #sobermotivation #podcast #healthpodcast #noalcohol #nobooze #sober #sobercurious #soberlofe #soberliving #sobercommunity #afcommunity #soberwomen #sobermom #sobermomtribe #sobersisters #sobriety #soberuk #soberjourney #sobrietyrocks #overtheinfluence #oti

In this episode we welcome back the lovely Chris to the pod!
Chris is a big part of our OTI Community, joining us all the way from New York (the state, not the top of the Empire State Building like Shaz seems to think) in the US of A. We've heard from Chris before when he came on with his AF BFF Aran but now he's back to tell his sobriety story and what has brought him to where he is today.
If you think you might benefit from joining the community and would like to find out more, head over to our website www.overtheinfluence.co.uk for more info.
---
Get In Touch:
Of course, you can always get in touch with us (publicly or privately) on our socials - @alcoholfreepod on Instagram, or search for "Over The Influence" on Facebook.
We'd love to hear your story - please get in touch with us directly at [email protected] or go to our website, www.overtheinfluence.co.uk
---
The Premium Podcast:
If you love OTI and you'd like to hear behind the curtain, subscribe to the OTI Premium Podcast now!
---
Links:
For links to alcohol-related support services, please visit our website.
---
Disclaimer:
All views expressed in this podcast are of the participants themselves, and not necessarily those of Over The Influence (OTI) Ltd. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We are not medical professionals but normal people giving their own experiences of removing alcohol from their lives, and as such this podcast should not be considered professional advice. If you are dependent on alcohol, or think you may be, we strongly recommend that you seek professional medical advice.
---
Helpful Hashtags:
We found hashtags and sober social media accounts really helpful in our early days alcohol free, as following them can help to reinforce that you are not alone! These are some of the hashtags we've followed:
#alcoholfree #stopdrinking #healthandwellnessjourney #zeroalcohol #idontdrink #sobercurious #healthydrinking #alcoholfreelife #soberaf #alcoholfreeliving #sobermotivation #podcast #healthpodcast #noalcohol #nobooze #sober #sobercurious #soberlofe #soberliving #sobercommunity #afcommunity #soberwomen #sobermom #sobermomtribe #sobersisters #sobriety #soberuk #soberjourney #sobrietyrocks #overtheinfluence #oti

He's a man that goes by many names in our community. Some call him 'The Porky Prince', others 'The Prince of Pastry'. It's even been claimed that he is 'The Sausage King of the North West'. We simply know him... as Danny Bangers.
Danny is a much loved and very active member of our community. He's found a home here with us at OTI and as you'll hear on the episode, that's not something he always thought was possible.
We're very grateful to Danny for sharing his story with us. We love him, and we're sure that you will too!
---
Get In Touch:
Of course, you can always get in touch with us (publicly or privately) on our socials - @alcoholfreepod on Instagram, or search for "Over The Influence" on Facebook.
We'd love to hear your story - please get in touch with us directly at [email protected] or go to our website, www.overtheinfluence.co.uk
---
The Premium Podcast:
If you love OTI and you'd like to hear behind the curtain, subscribe to the OTI Premium Podcast now!
---
Links:
For links to alcohol-related support services, please visit our website.
---
Disclaimer:
All views expressed in this podcast are of the participants themselves, and not necessarily those of Over The Influence (OTI) Ltd. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We are not medical professionals but normal people giving their own experiences of removing alcohol from their lives, and as such this podcast should not be considered professional advice. If you are dependent on alcohol, or think you may be, we strongly recommend that you seek professional medical advice.
---
Helpful Hashtags:
We found hashtags and sober social media accounts really helpful in our early days alcohol free, as following them can help to reinforce that you are not alone! These are some of the hashtags we've followed:
#alcoholfree #stopdrinking #healthandwellnessjourney #zeroalcohol #idontdrink #sobercurious #healthydrinking #alcoholfreelife #soberaf #alcoholfreeliving #sobermotivation #podcast #healthpodcast #noalcohol #nobooze #sober #sobercurious #soberlofe #soberliving #sobercommunity #afcommunity #soberwomen #sobermom #sobermomtribe #sobersisters #sobriety #soberuk #soberjourney #sobrietyrocks #overtheinfluence #oti

Shaz and Ben recently received the best e-mail ever to the OTI inbox. It's author was the guest on this episode, the fantastic Grace Cowley.
Grace is a dedicated listener to Over The Influence and she got in touch to let us know how listening to the pod had changed her life forever. When the e-mail arrived, Shaz immediately called Ben to say that Grace had to come on to the show.
Get a brew, sit back and enjoy the wonderful story that Grace has to share.
---
Get In Touch:
Of course, you can always get in touch with us (publicly or privately) on our socials - @alcoholfreepod on Instagram, or search for "Over The Influence" on Facebook.
We'd love to hear your story - please get in touch with us directly at [email protected] or go to our website, www.overtheinfluence.co.uk
---
The Premium Podcast:
If you love OTI and you'd like to hear behind the curtain, subscribe to the OTI Premium Podcast now!
---
Links:
For links to alcohol-related support services, please visit our website.
---
Disclaimer:
All views expressed in this podcast are of the participants themselves, and not necessarily those of Over The Influence (OTI) Ltd. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We are not medical professionals but normal people giving their own experiences of removing alcohol from their lives, and as such this podcast should not be considered professional advice. If you are dependent on alcohol, or think you may be, we strongly recommend that you seek professional medical advice.
---
Helpful Hashtags:
We found hashtags and sober social media accounts really helpful in our early days alcohol free, as following them can help to reinforce that you are not alone! These are some of the hashtags we've followed:
#alcoholfree #stopdrinking #healthandwellnessjourney #zeroalcohol #idontdrink #sobercurious #healthydrinking #alcoholfreelife #soberaf #alcoholfreeliving #sobermotivation #podcast #healthpodcast #noalcohol #nobooze #sober #sobercurious #soberlofe #soberliving #sobercommunity #afcommunity #soberwomen #sobermom #sobermomtribe #sobersisters #sobriety #soberuk #soberjourney #sobrietyrocks #overtheinfluence #oti

This week we welcome the fantastic Todd Kinney on to the podcast all the way from Omaha, Nebraska in the US of A!
Todd is an attorney by trade but since going AF has become a QuitLit author too with his book that may be already familiar to you, 'I Didn't Believe It Either'. For those of you who have come through Dry Jan and you're thinking "is that it?!" - take a listen to what Todd has to say, because the good bit is only just getting started.
We'd like to thank Todd for his time and you can find all things Todd Kinney at toddkinney.com.
---
Get In Touch:
Of course, you can always get in touch with us (publicly or privately) on our socials - @alcoholfreepod on Instagram, or search for "Over The Influence" on Facebook.
We'd love to hear your story - please get in touch with us directly at [email protected] or go to our website, www.overtheinfluence.co.uk
---
The Premium Podcast:
If you love OTI and you'd like to hear behind the curtain, subscribe to the OTI Premium Podcast now!
---
Links:
For links to alcohol-related support services, please visit our website.
---
Disclaimer:
All views expressed in this podcast are of the participants themselves, and not necessarily those of Over The Influence (OTI) Ltd. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We are not medical professionals but normal people giving their own experiences of removing alcohol from their lives, and as such this podcast should not be considered professional advice. If you are dependent on alcohol, or think you may be, we strongly recommend that you seek professional medical advice.
---
Helpful Hashtags:
We found hashtags and sober social media accounts really helpful in our early days alcohol free, as following them can help to reinforce that you are not alone! These are some of the hashtags we've followed:
#alcoholfree #stopdrinking #healthandwellnessjourney #zeroalcohol #idontdrink #sobercurious #healthydrinking #alcoholfreelife #soberaf #alcoholfreeliving #sobermotivation #podcast #healthpodcast #noalcohol #nobooze #sober #sobercurious #soberlofe #soberliving #sobercommunity #afcommunity #soberwomen #sobermom #sobermomtribe #sobersisters #sobriety #soberuk #soberjourney #sobrietyrocks #overtheinfluence #oti

In this episode we welcome our OTI Community's very own medical professional to the podcast, the fantastic Dr Helen!
Now a decade into her sobriety, Helen is an AF veteran and is absolutely smashing life without alcohol. She joined the OTI Community in our earliest days as she says she finally found a group of people that didn't look at quitting alcohol as something to be ashamed of but instead it's something to celebrate!
If you think you might benefit from joining the community and would like to find out more, head over to our website www.overtheinfluence.co.uk for more info.
---
Get In Touch:
Of course, you can always get in touch with us (publicly or privately) on our socials - @alcoholfreepod on Instagram, or search for "Over The Influence" on Facebook.
We'd love to hear your story - please get in touch with us directly at [email protected] or go to our website, www.overtheinfluence.co.uk
---
The Premium Podcast:
If you love OTI and you'd like to hear behind the curtain, subscribe to the OTI Premium Podcast now!
---
Links:
For links to alcohol-related support services, please visit our website.
---
Disclaimer:
All views expressed in this podcast are of the participants themselves, and not necessarily those of Over The Influence (OTI) Ltd. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We are not medical professionals but normal people giving their own experiences of removing alcohol from their lives, and as such this podcast should not be considered professional advice. If you are dependent on alcohol, or think you may be, we strongly recommend that you seek professional medical advice.
---
Helpful Hashtags:
We found hashtags and sober social media accounts really helpful in our early days alcohol free, as following them can help to reinforce that you are not alone! These are some of the hashtags we've followed:
#alcoholfree #stopdrinking #healthandwellnessjourney #zeroalcohol #idontdrink #sobercurious #healthydrinking #alcoholfreelife #soberaf #alcoholfreeliving #sobermotivation #podcast #healthpodcast #noalcohol #nobooze #sober #sobercurious #soberlofe #soberliving #sobercommunity #afcommunity #soberwomen #sobermom #sobermomtribe #sobersisters #sobriety #soberuk #soberjourney #sobrietyrocks #overtheinfluence #oti

In this episode we welcome back the wonderful Aran to the pod!
Aran is one of our lovely OTI Community members and he joined us just over a year ago when he went AF last Dry January. Since then, it's safe to say he has bedded himself into the community and has got everything he can out of alcohol free life.
If you think you might benefit from joining the community and would like to find out more, head over to our website www.overtheinfluence.co.uk for more info.
---
Get In Touch:
Of course, you can always get in touch with us (publicly or privately) on our socials - @alcoholfreepod on Instagram, or search for "Over The Influence" on Facebook.
We'd love to hear your story - please get in touch with us directly at [email protected] or go to our website, www.overtheinfluence.co.uk
---
The Premium Podcast:
If you love OTI and you'd like to hear behind the curtain, subscribe to the OTI Premium Podcast now!
---
Links:
For links to alcohol-related support services, please visit our website.
---
Disclaimer:
All views expressed in this podcast are of the participants themselves, and not necessarily those of Over The Influence (OTI) Ltd. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We are not medical professionals but normal people giving their own experiences of removing alcohol from their lives, and as such this podcast should not be considered professional advice. If you are dependent on alcohol, or think you may be, we strongly recommend that you seek professional medical advice.
---
Helpful Hashtags:
We found hashtags and sober social media accounts really helpful in our early days alcohol free, as following them can help to reinforce that you are not alone! These are some of the hashtags we've followed:
#alcoholfree #stopdrinking #healthandwellnessjourney #zeroalcohol #idontdrink #sobercurious #healthydrinking #alcoholfreelife #soberaf #alcoholfreeliving #sobermotivation #podcast #healthpodcast #noalcohol #nobooze #sober #sobercurious #soberlofe #soberliving #sobercommunity #afcommunity #soberwomen #sobermom #sobermomtribe #sobersisters #sobriety #soberuk #soberjourney #sobrietyrocks #overtheinfluence #oti

To those of you doing Dry January, we salute you! Keep up the great work.
We are delighted to be joined this week by Professor David Nutt (Imperial College London), a Psychiatrist who researches the affects of drugs on the brain.
The drug in question this week is of course alcohol. David has spent much of his career researching how alcohol impacts brain function and the dangers of drinking to excess, so there really is no better person to be talking us through this subject on the pod.
If you would like to find out more about David you can do so here, alternatively you can follow him on X or search for his fantastically insightful book 'Drink? - The New Science of Alcohol and Your Health' .
---
Get In Touch:
Of course, you can always get in touch with us (publicly or privately) on our socials - @alcoholfreepod on Instagram, or search for "Over The Influence" on Facebook.
We'd love to hear your story - please get in touch with us directly at [email protected] or go to our website, www.overtheinfluence.co.uk
---
The Premium Podcast:
If you love OTI and you'd like to hear behind the curtain, subscribe to the OTI Premium Podcast now!
---
Links:
For links to alcohol-related support services, please visit our website.
---
Disclaimer:
All views expressed in this podcast are of the participants themselves, and not necessarily those of Over The Influence (OTI) Ltd. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We are not medical professionals but normal people giving their own experiences of removing alcohol from their lives, and as such this podcast should not be considered professional advice. If you are dependent on alcohol, or think you may be, we strongly recommend that you seek professional medical advice.
---
Helpful Hashtags:
We found hashtags and sober social media accounts really helpful in our early days alcohol free, as following them can help to reinforce that you are not alone! These are some of the hashtags we've followed:
#alcoholfree #stopdrinking #healthandwellnessjourney #zeroalcohol #idontdrink #sobercurious #healthydrinking #alcoholfreelife #soberaf #alcoholfreeliving #sobermotivation #podcast #healthpodcast #noalcohol #nobooze #sober #sobercurious #soberlofe #soberliving #sobercommunity #afcommunity #soberwomen #sobermom #sobermomtribe #sobersisters #sobriety #soberuk #soberjourney #sobrietyrocks #overtheinfluence #oti

Our old mate Craig Beck is back on the pod! He's back this Dry January to discuss with us why we shouldn't put a time frame on sobriety and if you're enjoying it, push on and enjoy each sober moment as it comes!
Craig's book "Alcohol Lied To Me" and it's sequel "Alcohol Lied To Me... Again!", are essential quit lit reading. A lot of you out there will have already read them; anyone that hasn't, make sure you do as they are sure to change your perspective and your relationship with alcohol.
It's always great having Craig on the pod and would to thank him again for his time. If you would like to keep up to date with all things Craig Beck, you can do so at craigbeck.com.
---
Get In Touch:
Of course, you can always get in touch with us (publicly or privately) on our socials - @alcoholfreepod on Instagram, or search for "Over The Influence" on Facebook.
We'd love to hear your story - please get in touch with us directly at [email protected] or go to our website, www.overtheinfluence.co.uk
---
The Premium Podcast:
If you love OTI and you'd like to hear behind the curtain, subscribe to the OTI Premium Podcast now!
---
Links:
For links to alcohol-related support services, please visit our website.
---
Disclaimer:
All views expressed in this podcast are of the participants themselves, and not necessarily those of Over The Influence (OTI) Ltd. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We are not medical professionals but normal people giving their own experiences of removing alcohol from their lives, and as such this podcast should not be considered professional advice. If you are dependent on alcohol, or think you may be, we strongly recommend that you seek professional medical advice.
---
Helpful Hashtags:
We found hashtags and sober social media accounts really helpful in our early days alcohol free, as following them can help to reinforce that you are not alone! These are some of the hashtags we've followed:
#alcoholfree #stopdrinking #healthandwellnessjourney #zeroalcohol #idontdrink #sobercurious #healthydrinking #alcoholfreelife #soberaf #alcoholfreeliving #sobermotivation #podcast #healthpodcast #noalcohol #nobooze #sober #sobercurious #soberlofe #soberliving #sobercommunity #afcommunity #soberwomen #sobermom #sobermomtribe #sobersisters #sobriety #soberuk #soberjourney #sobrietyrocks #overtheinfluence #oti