The Next Round: What happens after you change your drinking?
The Next Round: What happens after you change your drinking?
It’s true to say that alcohol and neurodiversity are not indivisible. Alcohol is often used as a coping mechanism in social situations. If you have autism, socialising can be extra daunting, and your intake of ‘Dutch courage’ can become excessive.
In this week’s podcast, Meet the Scholar host Claire Davey talks to our guest, author and senior lecturer at the University of West England, Chelsey Flood about alcohol and neurodiversity, and how a late diagnosis of autism affected changing her drinking.
Looking back, I can see that autism was probably paying playing quite a big part in the way that I drank. I used to drink a lot just to be around people. And it would just have to be a little bit just to be around people. So it was very much like medicine…I worked out that one bottle of lager made me feel normal and confident and have a conversation with people. But without the bottle of lager, I just couldn’t do it.
Chelsey Flood
Chelsea Flood is a lecturer in creative writing and the author of two novels, Infinite Sky and Night Wanderers. Chelsey is five years sober, and discusses how dealing with alcohol and neurodiversity later in life has transformed the way she views her past self and how she is able to live with more self-compassion and acceptance.
Claire Davey is a PhD student at Canterbury Christ Church University, studying in the field of alcohol studies. Claire is also a long term friend of Club Soda and hosts our Meet The Scholar Webinar Series. Claire’s role as host of these webinars is to help us to engage with the academic community and inform that approach to mindful drinking through the latest findings. You can hear what academics discovering not just by the papers that they write, but through a conversation so that you can hear the things that may help you change your relationship with alcohol. We feel this connection between academia and open discussion helps us to apply the findings in real life.
The Club Soda podcast is all the inspiration you need to create and sustain a life that doesn’t centre on drinking. Find the advice and support you need, whether you are cutting down, taking a break or going alcohol-free for the long-term.
The Club Soda podcast is available wherever you subscribe to podcasts. Find your platform here.
Join Club Soda for 10% off your first order of drinks for UK delivery. Plus get our latest news and special offers for members to choose better drinks, change your drinking and connect with others.
If you get an error message with this form, you can also sign up at eepurl.com/dl5hPn
