I Was in a Taxi on the Way to Work in a Suit & I Asked the Driver If I Could Have the Beer He Had in the Back — My Work Colleague Was Sitting Right Next to Me

Episode 40 | Craig Hewins — 3 Years Sober: The Surrey Sales Guy Who Cold Turkeyed Alone in a Rented Room & Never Told Anyone

Craig Hewins grew up in Surrey — happy childhood, no trauma, no excuses as he puts it. Started drinking at 14 in the park with cider, loved the confidence it gave him, and just never really stopped. Football was his other passion through his teens and twenties, but slowly the drinking took over the weekends, then the matches, then the rest. By 25 he was dependent. By his late twenties he needed a drink on Monday morning just to face reality.

He got into sales — an environment he describes as full of reckless, self-destructive people — and thrived when drinking, barely functioned without. Attendance issues ended jobs. He lost his driving licence drink driving. His relationships fell apart. The worst period: waking up, retching into the bathroom sink from bile because he hadn’t eaten, then steadying himself with whatever wine was left in the bottle just to get down to the shop for more.

The taxi story captures it best. Suited and booted, on the way to work on a Monday morning, he spotted a beer in the back of the cab, asked the driver if he could have it — and cracked it open immediately. His work colleague was sitting right next to him.

The Facebook photo was the final straw. Tagged in a shot and not recognising himself, he thought: I’ve completely lost myself. He locked himself in a rented room — ensuite, landlady’s house, nobody really knew he was there — and cold turkeyed for two weeks on takeaways. No AA, no rehab, no support. Just willpower.

Two months in, his best friend died. His mates took him to the pub to grieve. When he nearly ordered a pint, a few of them quietly said don’t do it. He didn’t. And in that moment — not drinking while losing someone he loved — he knew he’d never need to again.

Now coming up on three years, Craig has an ultramarathon booked and is getting married in a week.

Listen to Craig's story here:

You can follow him on Instragram at:

https://www.instagram.com/hewins11

Listen to the Sober Stretch Podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/42nfv5PNruzVeGdJU4DbLW?si=7ee2208efa204322

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck - Mark Manson

https://amzn.to/3SbyOC0

My Instagram is:

https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:

https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…

https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

Support the show

My Instagram is:

https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:

https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…

https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

Alcohol Explained - William Porter

https://a.co/d/0854fIb6

This Naked Mind - Annie Grace

https://a.co/d/0gy6mT9Z

A Million Little Pieces - James Frey

https://a.co/d/0jdcIjGb

Donate:

https://motiv8.im/donate/

https://nacoa.org.uk/get-involved/donating/donate/

My Instagram is:

https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:

https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…

https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt

Alcohol Explained - William Porter

https://amzn.to/4uMmkyB

This Naked Mind - Annie Grace

https://amzn.to/4eC6L6z

A Million Little Pieces - James Frey

https://amzn.to/44jOV3i

Donate:

https://motiv8.im/donate/

https://nacoa.org.uk/get-involved/donating/donate/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.