SoberMe

My Not So Secret Diary

My Not So Secret Bookshelf (And Kindle)

Bookshelf
I’ve always loved reading. Over the last few years I've been re-finding my love for it, reading with a clear mind is great and another benefit of being sober is that I actually remember everything I’ve read before I go to sleep at night!

When I first stopped drinking, I devoured every book I could find on the subject. I thought it might be nice to share some of them here with you. If you know of any others that are worth a read, let me know, I still like to read ‘quit-lit’ even now.

I'll be adding to this as often as I can, but I think I'm only going to be adding inspirational books otherwise I'd fill it up pretty quickly!

💖💖💖

My Not So Secret Recovery - Claire Hatwell

51yLLdEgsSL._SY346_My Not So Secret Recovery - Claire Hatwell
Shameless plug, but you know what, this is the sort of book I would have needed to read when I was getting sober, because I would have identified with the main character. I needed that to feel like I was normal and to see that I could actually be okay again in the future.

Drink? Professor David Nutt

41mC6uJoqELDrink? Professor Nutt

I really enjoyed this book, it’s not aimed at telling you how to stop drinking but is more factual. The author is not anti-drinking, but is objective as he looks at the harms of alcohol and the way it is portrayed to society. I really enjoyed reading it.

Mrs D Is Going Without - Lotta Dann

Kick The Drink Easily - Jason Vale

Kick the Drink Easily
Kick The Drink Easily - Jason Vale
I loved this book. I didn’t like the cover, I wanted to hide it, even in the privacy of my own home, I felt it shouted out that I had a problem, and even though I clearly did, it made me very self-conscious as I wasn’t ready to announce it to the world! I read it intensely, I referred to it like a text book, and I even have lines highlighted to make me remember them. Jason tackles not only social perceptions but also clearly identified with the way I was feeling, “The main problem is that, if you sense you are in trouble with alcohol, it is seen as your weakness rather than a result of the drug itself.”
Rather than being a story, this is much more a resource to help you quit, although it does have personal accounts too. This is one of my favourites, it talks about the social acceptance we have for alcohol and why we really shouldn’t. I certainly would recommend this book to anyone needing a little bit of support, it was invaluable to me.

Sober Stick Figure

Sober Stick Figure
Sober Stick Figure - Amber Tozer
I enjoyed this book. So real, so cringeworthy in places, and yet totally honest. The author got into a few scrapes and yet, I could see her denial in a similar way to mine. It's hard to face up to things, and realise you have a problem, and Amber obviously felt that too. The drawings kept me amused all the way through too.

My Not So Secret Guide to Recovering



Book CoverMy new book is ready for pre-order now!

Are you tired of thinking about drinking?

Are you questioning your relationship with alcohol?

Maybe you’re ready to stop drinking but haven’t worked out where to start?

I’ve been there, and in this guide, I’m going to help you find the tools and strategies you need to break free from the alcohol trap and get your feet firmly on to the road to recovery.

You’re going to love the freedom being sober gives you!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09MSJV97C

Alcohol Nation - Dr Aric Sigman

B0050C8PHS.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SX500_Alcohol Nation: How to Protect Our Children From Today’s Drinking Culture - Aric Sigman


A real eye opener, while not so much about stopping, it really made me think about the impact drinking has on our younger generation and what we can do to stop it.

Love Yourself Sober - Kate Baily and Mandy Manners

51vv-KU79cL._SX384_BO1,204,203,200_Love Yourself Sober - Kate Baily and Mandy Manners

An honest account of two friends and their experiences both drinking and getting sober. It illustrates just how easy it is to fall into the alcohol trap and shows you how to climb back out again.

Alcohol Explained - WIlliam Porter

B00W4D1YW4.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_SX500_Alcohol Explained - William Porter
So this is way more fact than a lot of the books I’ve read, but it’s great for making you realise the reasons behind why you drink. A definite help on the way to sobriety, it really makes you see the truth of alcohol, rather than the image advertised. I wish I’d read it sooner!

Happy Healthy Sober - Janey Lee Grace

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Another one that could be me, showing just how common place drinking for us ‘normal’ people is. Julia has a great way of writing to show not only her struggle, but the reward at the end of it too.

Sober Positive - Julie Carson

41Q3PK1WapLSober Positive - Julia Carson
Another one that could be me, showing just how common place drinking for us ‘normal’ people is. Julia has a great way of writing to show not only her struggle, but the reward at the end of it too.

Mrs D Is Going Within - Lotta Dann

Mrs D Is Going Within
Mrs D Is Going Within - Lotta Dann
It's like I'm reading this book that Lotta wrote about me! It's so weird, not only has she struggled with so many of the same anxiety issues as me, but she goes on to get a black Labrador (we have one who is ten and called Miley), but she names it Stanley, the name of my youngest son!

I love the way Lotta writes, it is down to earth and unpretentious. A good read, especially for those who are over the initial addiction and are trying to make sense of their new alcohol free lives.

Light at the End of the Bottle - Vanessa Bird

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Light at the End of the Bottle - Vanessa Bird
Another good read. There were a few points in this book that I found difficult to read, and at times a little frustrating, but all in all a good read. It was sad to read of the judgements the author had because of her addiction and the struggle to get free but it was nice to see the author finally managing to get free of addiction towards the end.

Glass Half Full - Lucy Rocca

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From the founder of Soberistas, this is an inspiring read as we follow her journey to sobriety.

Drink - Ann Dowsett Johnston

Drink
Drink - Ann Dowsett Johnston
Another version of a love affair with alcohol, someone who understands how it feels to have addiction sidle up until one day you suddenly realise it has overshadowed you. Written by someone who not only has experienced alcohol addiction, but someone who has researched the link between women and alcohol too, this is a really good read.

Unwasted - Sasha Z. Scoblic

Unwasted
Unwasted - Sasha Z. Scoblic
A great read! It felt truthful and honest, and although every one giving up drinking has a few skeletons in the cupboard, it didn’t feel exaggerated. Quite possibly the book that sparked my love of running. I mean, when I read it I had no intention of taking up running. It was all I could do to function normally, without adding in something so daft as running. But, I think it planted a seed, one that one come to really help me in the later days of my recovery.

Diary of An Alcoholic Housewife - Brenda Wilhelmson

Diary of An Alcoholic Housewife
Diary of An Alcoholic Housewife - Brenda Wilhelmson
This is a beautiful diary of a woman’s struggle to overcome her addiction. It’s well written and you can see her struggle, not only to move on, but to actually admit to her problem in the first place. Most people seem to resent putting on weight after quitting, and it’s not often you hear someone comment about ‘skinny drunks’ but she did, and that comment really hit home for me. As I’ve said before, when you identify with someone, or something, it can be really helpful. It can be the catalyst you are waiting for. A definite recommendation from me.

The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober - Catherine Grey

The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober
The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober - Catherine Grey
A great read, this book has personal experiences, but also has tools to help you on your journey. I particularly like the point where she says you should leave the past alone. I’m still working on that one, but I think it’s a great point. There’s also a section on sober heroes, she doesn’t call them that, but I’m going to. Anyone out there showing a way forward for others is a hero in my book. All in all a great read!

Drinking, A Love Story - Caroline Knapp

Drinking
Drinking, A Love Story - Caroline Knapp
I identified with this book on so many levels. I love this line, “I fell in love and then, because the love was ruining everything I cared about, I had to fall out.” In this one line, the author sums up my drinking and recovery too. It is something that affects many women who drink, many people like me, who associate drinking with fun, with relaxation, with rewards, until one day they realise it isn’t anymore. Definitely one I’d recommend.

A Happier Hour - Rebecca Weller

A Happier Hour
A Happier Hour - Rebecca Weller
A memoir by a woman only a few years older than me, this is the sort of book I sought out. A health coach who only intended to ever have a few glasses which inevitably often turns into a few bottles, she embarks on a lifestyle experiment which turns into something much more. Full of challenges and her thoughts, it is definitely worth a read. This quote sums it up, “I was afraid of what would happen if I stopped drinking. But I was more afraid of what would happen if I didn’t.” I remember that feeling only too well.

Blackout - Sarah Hepola

Blackout
Blackout - Sarah Hepola
So, so honest! Heartbreakingly so, the effects of blackouts are shocking, and the author shares it all with us. A true story of recovery, and overcoming the hell of drinking, the reader is invited along for the journey. You know she hasn’t found the journey easy, but you know that it’s worth it. A great read.

Staying Sober - Binki Laidler

Staying Sober
Staying Sober - Binki Laidler
Literally written like a diary, this is a blow by blow account of the author and her journey from day 1 to 100 of her recovery. You feel like you’re sharing a conversation at times with the author, and this makes it all the more real as you face each and every new challenge with her. She doesn’t sugar-coat or dramatise it though, and this is refreshing. A very honest account of one woman’s path.

The Sober Revolution - Sarah Turner and Lucy Rocca

The Sober Revolution
The Sober Revolution - Sarah Turner and Lucy Rocca
“Adopting a lifestyle of sobriety restores the mind and body to what they once were, and allows us to fill the shoes of the person we were born to be.” The first part of this book is the reasons behind drinking and the experiences of getting sober. The next part are stories from various people showing their own experiences.

The Sober Diaries - Clare Pooley

The Sober Diaries
The Sober Diaries - Clare Pooley
This is one of the most recent reads on my list. This is a hard one because I did enjoy it, but it didn’t have the same realism as some of the other books on my list. I found I couldn’t really relate to the 3 week holidays in Cornwall, (despite living here), after shorter trips to Scotland. I know she has a busy life, as a lot of mothers and wives do, I just found it a little bit difficult to relate to. But as another book to read on this subject, it’s definitely worth the read, we just obviously have different lifestyles.

Freedom From Our Addictions - Russell Brand

Russell Brand
Freedom From Our Addictions - Russell Brand
I read this about two years after I stopped drinking. I still like to read books of this kind even now, I think it helps remind me how far I’ve come. It has a focus on the 12 Steps, but as I didn’t go to AA, (I had another support group), it wasn’t so relevant in this way to me. What was nice though, was Russell’s very honest approach to his addiction and the way he put his own interpretation of the 12 Steps into words. Again, I really think that the more I read about other people in a similar situation overcoming their addictions, the more it made me feel less like a freak and more like I could do it too.

This Naked Mind - Annie Grace

This Naked Mind
This Naked Mind - Annie Grace
“Alcohol does not relieve stress; it erases your senses and ability to think. Ultimately it erases your self.” I couldn’t have said it better myself! Annie’s book is full of science and facts, backing up her claims, this book really makes you think. I found it a bit if a heavy read, but it is a bit of a heavy subject. It’ll definitely make you think.

Don’t Let The Bastards Grind You Down - Georgia W.

Don't Let the Bastards Grind You Down
Don’t Let The Bastards Grind You Down - Georgia W.
Written by a recovering alcoholic, this is a guide for things that would have helped the writer in her darker days. Broken down into bite size chunks, like ‘The First 30 Days” and “Trigger Happy”, the majority of these points are really useful. There are a few that personally, I don’t think needed including, they certainly didn’t apply to me, but there are people who might find them useful. A good addition to the recovery book shelf.