The Stay at Home Drinker - Ulrika Tells her Story

The Stay at Home Drinker - Ulrika Tells her Story

What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? Here, the focus lands on a drinking pattern that looks “harmless” from the outside but can feel terrifying on the inside: the stay-at-home drinker. Victoria Vanstone and co-host Ulrika Johnson chat frankly and cheekily about how alcohol shifts from party fuel to a private coping mechanism hidden behind closed doors.

Vic was the chaotic, public binge drinker; Ulrika was the rum-on-the-sofa drinker, pouring “a beautiful custom” at the end of the day that slowly morphed into something she relied on.

As Ulrika puts it, “alcohol healed my anxiety at the point of consumption, but it fuelled it after blackouts the morning after.” You’ll hear how lockdown, parenting stress and anxiety helped home drinking feel like a treat, before it crept earlier into the day, became secretive, and turned into a constant companion.

They break down how shame thrives in isolation – from necking rum in the cupboard to rearranging recycling “like some sort of alcoholic game of Tetris” – and how that shame keeps people stuck in a loop of drink, hide, repeat.

The episode blends dark honesty with daft humour (google reviews of public toilets, anyone?) while still landing some heavy truths about family impact, self-loathing, and the moment Ulrika finally texted a sober friend: “I can’t do this anymore.” From there, she talks about her first AA Zoom meeting, crying with the camera off, and the slow, uncertain beginnings of change.

Rather than preaching, they gently suggest practical first steps: interrupting routines, rage walks instead of wine, swapping rituals, and, most importantly, telling a “safe person” that drinking at home is becoming “a bit too important.” If you’ve ever poured a quiet drink and wondered if it’s one too many, this conversation might feel uncomfortably close to home – and oddly hopeful. So, who’s the safe person you might message today?