Why I’m Proud to Call Myself an Alcoholic - with Cat Sims

Why I’m Proud to Call Myself an Alcoholic - with Cat Sims

Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This Sober Awkward episode brings together host Vic and writer–podcaster Cat Sims for a raw, funny and very real chat about booze, motherhood, labels and shame. Cat describes herself as a "textbook drunk" and talks about years of blackout drinking, class A drugs and chaotic nights that somehow still sat under the socially acceptable banner of “just a party girl”. Things escalated when motherhood arrived.

As Cat puts it, "Motherhood was the trauma that pulled the trigger." You’ll hear the pair swap stories of crying in school car parks, using wine as a reward for surviving the day, and that weird sober moment when you realise, as Cat says, "I mistook peace for boredom and chaos for excitement." The conversation takes a powerful turn when Cat explains why she proudly uses the word "alcoholic", while Vic admits she still dodges it with softer phrases like "grey area drinker" and "sober curious".

Suddenly, the bingeing wasn’t just wrecking weekends; it was colliding with night feeds, postnatal depression and the pressure to be a perfect mum. Cat argues that naming it can be life-saving: "If you can’t say you’re an alcoholic, then you can’t get into recovery." Vic’s emotional reaction gives the episode its heart, as the two unpack shame, people pleasing, family expectations and the fear of being judged as a mum who struggled with alcohol.

Amid the heavy stuff, there’s plenty of humour – traffic cones, lost fingers and all – but the core message is simple: you’re not the only one. Whether you’re a mum crying in an Audi car park or someone quietly wondering if your drinking is "normal", this conversation might make you feel a bit less alone. So what would it change for you if you called your drinking what it really is?