Why We Drink to Numb Pain: Julia Samuel MBE on Grief and Addiction

When people quit drinking, they expect relief. Instead, many feel grief. That's what Dave sits down to explore with Julia Samuel MBE, psychotherapist of 30+ years and best-selling author of Grief Works.

This conversation goes places most sobriety podcasts don't. Why unresolved grief fuels addiction. Why 70% of mental health struggles trace back to grief we've never let ourselves feel. Why Gabor Maté's question, "why the pain" not "why the addiction," matters so much. And why so many people get sober only to realise they're grieving the loss of alcohol itself, their oldest coping mechanism.

Dave opens up about his mum dying in 2018, his 40 years of drinking, and the grief he had to sit with when he finally put the bottle down. Julia reframes addiction as a survival strategy, not a moral failing. She talks about living losses, complex grief, estrangement, and why it is never too late to grieve.

If you're quitting drinking, grieving a parent, or navigating a living loss, this one's for you.

 If you want to connect with me via Instagram, you can find me on the instahandle @Soberdave https://www.instagram.com/soberdave/

or via my website https://davidwilsoncoaching.com/

Provided below are links for services offering additional help and advice.

www.drinkaware.co.uk/advice/alcohol-support-services

https://nacoa.org.uk/

Show producer- Daniella Attanasio-Martinez

Instagram - @TheDaniellaMartinez

https://www.instagram.com/thedaniellamartinez/

www.instagram.com/grownuphustle

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