Lea Watson: Coping with tragedy and going alcohol-free

This week’s podcast guest, Lea Watson, is known mostly for her Instagram account @glowsober where she is the queen of alcohol-free drinks and quit-lit reviews. But her reasons for going alcohol-free are much deeper than a healthy lifestyle choice. Lea talks candidly about the tragedy that made her turn to drink and the power she found in taking back control of her alcohol issues, and her life.

More about podcast guest Lea Watson

Lea Watson from Glowsober is a qualified teacher, trainer, and sober coach. She delivers workshops to organisations enabling open discussions around alcohol and its effect on Mental Health.

As with many people who reach sobriety, Lea’s story is not just one of professional understanding. Lea has had much adversity thrown her way over the years, and alcohol became her refuge. Her son, a young adult, was killed in a car accident where the driver had gotten behind the wheel drunk. Her life turned upside down, and alcohol numbed the pain for a while. But the day came when she had to make a bold decision; she knew that if she carried on drinking as she did, she would die soon. And she courageously chose life.

It feels like when I tell my story, it feels like a long line of quite tragic events. And they are. But they’re also they are also about the power bit … because actually, the decision was, I either stop drinking, or I go and actually jump off a bridge because there was no in-between. Alcohol could not make me function in a way that made me have the life that I wanted to live. And it turned out that I wanted to design the life that I wanted. I didn’t want it to control me anymore.

Lea Watson, Glowsober

Choosing life after tragedy hits is one of the most difficult decisions a person can make. Many people turn to alcohol to numb the pain of grief. Lea saw that alcohol was not just numbing the pain of losing her son in a terrible accident, it was also taking away her own life. With much reflection, insight, and strength, Lea is now in a powerful place where she is able to help others with their problem drinking.

Laura’s conversation with Lea reminds us that however bad and bleak things might feel right now, changing your drinking is something you can control. It can set the basis for recovery in all sorts of ways. She is a truly inspirational podcast guest.