SoberNotMature - Episode 245 (Sam T. - Both Touching & Scratching The Surface)SoberNotMature - Episode 245 (Sam T. - Both Touching & Scratching The Surface)
Sober Not Mature
Sam Thomas talks with Mike and Bill about his journey from bulimia and alcohol dependency through multiple hospital detoxes to sustained sobriety. The conversation looks at LGBTQ+ recovery, the impact of bullying and grief, and the practical routines that now support his alcohol-free life.
1:37:51•31 Oct 2026
Sam Thomas on Sobriety, Eating Disorders and Life Beginning at Sober
Episode Overview
- Recovery can involve multiple detoxes and relapses before long-term sobriety takes hold.
- Earlier periods of sobriety, even if they end in relapse, can become a useful template for future recovery.
- Grief, trauma and high-pressure work can all feed into alcohol dependency and need to be acknowledged in healing.
- Daily rituals such as exercise, writing and caring for pets can provide structure and emotional stability in sobriety.
- LGBTQ+ people may benefit from practical guidance on facing pride, dating and sex without alcohol, reflecting the specific pressures of that culture.
“"Clearly we all know how to get fucked up... we want to know about how you got sober."”
How do individuals turn their lives around after addiction? Episode 245 of **Sober Not Mature** brings you Sam Thomas from Brighton, sharing a raw, honest look at alcohol addiction, eating disorders and LGBTQ+ sobriety with hosts Mike and Bill. Sam’s story isn’t neat or linear, which makes it extremely relatable. He talks about founding *Men Get Eating Disorders Too* in his early twenties, becoming a visible voice for men with bulimia while quietly swapping one coping mechanism for another: alcohol.
As his charity work and media profile grew, so did his drinking, eventually leading to multiple detoxes, psychiatric hospital stays, hallucinations and an overdose. There’s zero glamour here – just the messy reality of trying, relapsing, and trying again. The hosts keep things loose, explicit and funny, but firmly focused on the solution. As Mike puts it, they’re not interested in long "drunkalogues"; they want to know how people get and stay sober.
Sam explains how a hospital detox in November 2019 became his turning point, and how six earlier months of sobriety – achieved simply because he ran out of money – later became the template for his long-term recovery.
You’ll hear about the pressures of LGBTQ+ party culture, the impact of homophobic bullying and Section 28, and why Sam is now writing *Life Begins at Sober: A Practical Guide to LGBTQ+ Sobriety*, aimed at those wondering how to face pride, dating and sex without a drink in hand. He also shares the day-to-day rituals that keep him grounded now: writing, gym sessions, and caring for his impressive collection of tarantulas, scorpions and other creatures.
If you’re curious about recovery that doesn’t rely on a 12-step programme, or you’re LGBTQ+ and wondering if sobriety is even possible in a scene built around drinking, this conversation might give you a different kind of hope. What new life could begin for you at sober?
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