# He Thought He Would Die Drinking: Sober Dave’s Story of Alcohol Addiction and Recovery

An episode of [Sober Motivation: Sharing Sobriety Stories](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1650658049), 11 Sep 2026, 1 h 21 min.

Audio: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/69a4e7dfbbda7540f41d58e1/e/6aa4167eb2c98cd0079c4caa/media.mp3

David Wilson, better known as Sober Dave, spent decades drinking before alcohol slowly took over nearly every part of his life. What began with drinking socially eventually progressed from beer to cider, wine and finally vodka — at his worst, Dave was drinking around a litre of vodka every night. He would wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning still drunk, go to work hours later, spend entire weekends drinking alone and regularly black out. Looking back, Dave says he remembers very little of his 40s. But on January 7, 2019, something changed. A friend reached out and simply asked Dave if he wanted to stop drinking with him for three months. There was no judgment or lecture — just an offer of support. Dave said yes, and he hasn’t had a drink since. In this episode of the Sober Motivation Podcast, Dave talks openly about the progression of his drinking, isolation, shame, the childhood experiences he never dealt with, losing his identity to alcohol, and why getting sober eventually required much more than simply removing the drink. Dave and Brad also discuss connection, self-compassion, relapse and setbacks, nervous-system regulation, changing your relationship with alcohol, and why you don’t need to wait for a devastating rock bottom before deciding to change. If you’ve ever wondered whether your drinking is “bad enough,” or you’re struggling to imagine a life without alcohol, Dave’s story is a powerful reminder of how much can change when you’re willing to start with one day. Connect with Dave: https://www.instagram.com/soberdave/ Sober Motivation App on Apple App Store HERE Sober Motivation App on Google Play Store HERE Sober Motivation Website: https://www.sobermotivation.com Support the Podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/sobermotivation Contact me anytime: brad@sobermotivation.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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