Someone contacted me recently to ask about setting up meetings, to give her the chance, as she put it, ‘to chat with like minded people’. I think it is an excellent idea, human beings are social animals, socialising is both necessary and good for us. However because most of our socialising revolves around alcohol there is a tendency, when giving up drinking, to then avoid social situations.
It also felt like fate taking a hand when she told me she lives in Ealing, West London, which is where I live!
I think it is also very useful to discuss ideas and thoughts. There is a saying that to truly know a subject you must teach it. I found that my knowledge and ideas about alcohol developed as I wrote Alcohol Explained. Writing it down not only solidified it in my mind, it also caused me to develop and progress it. Talking about something is another way to understand it more fully.
What I was thinking was that if you are interested in meeting like minded people then please drop me a line through the ‘contact’ section of the website and let me know your geographical location. If and when I get 3 or 4 people from the same area who are interested in meeting I will contact you again to see if you are happy for me to release contact details to one another and whether you are still interested, and if so I will then put you in contact so you can arrange details, and provide some practical guidance around venue etc.
And if you are near Ealing then you’ve already got two other people willing to meet up!
Finally if anyone is interested I am giving a talk on the Club Soda Facebook group later, 8pm UK time. I’ll be talking about the physiological side of alcohol withdrawal and how it ties into other physical aspects of drinking, such as insomnia and tolerance. I’ll also be giving some practical tips on how to actually measure the severity of the withdrawal, so the intention is to cover the basics but also to develop some new ideas and themes so even those familiar with Alcohol Explained will find something new to interest them. I am also hoping to leave some time to deal with questions. Club Soda is a closed group but you can very easily join, and I understand the seminar will be posted to YouTube if you can’t watch it live.
14 Responses
fantastic. “No man is an island” we need each other to thrive.
Love the idea.
Looking forward to the Club Soda seminar.
Karyn.
I live near Totnes in South Devon. Would love to attend meetings.
I live inKenilworth in Warwickshire and would love to meet others in the area 🙂 looking forward to your talk later. I may not be able to watch it live but will watch it afterwards. Thank you
I live in Hoxton, East London would be interested in meetings.
Glasgow! Def interested x
Great idea! I live in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada. But there must be folks who have read your book, William, close by and we could start up a meeting group and follow through here?
I would love that!
I’m keen. I live in Sydney Australia
Thank you
I live in Sydney Australia and very interested
Thank you
Yes San Francisco. My first experience with AF was isolating. And after a year I drank again. Now, just this week I started consciously doing sober stuff with sober people and it has made a difference. Not talking about booze per se, just making a social plan that intentionally excludes alco.
Yes, you may add me to the “gathering” list. I live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. USA
Great idea! I live near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
I would love it. Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia xxx
I have been thinking this for a very long time! I am in Southampton, UK
I live in Yorba Linda California and would enjoy meeting with others.