Woman Creates 1,400-Member Group for People Quitting Alcohol Without Hitting Rock Bottom

A woman named Viki has built a free online community with 1,400 members to help people socialize without alcohol. The group, called Sober Socials, was created for individuals who want to quit drinking but do not feel they have hit a traditional rock bottom.

Viki, who is now 45, began drinking every day after her mother died in May 2018. Her 71-year-old mother fell down the stairs and died after missing a dog-sitting arrangement. Viki used alcohol to numb the shock and grief that followed the loss.

For three years, Viki drank wine, Bailey’s, or port every evening after work. She described the habit as a way to achieve oblivion. Although she still went to work and saw friends, she often woke up with night sweats and felt hungover. She realized she had lost control when she took a mirror photo in 2021 and saw dark circles under her eyes and bloated skin.

Viki decided to stop drinking completely but rejected the label of alcoholic. She felt that joining Alcoholics Anonymous would imply she was a fraud because her story lacked dramatic elements like DUI arrests or job warnings. Instead, she identified with the concept of grey area drinking, which sits between severe addiction and occasional social use.

She enrolled in a six-week online course with a sober coach. The course taught her to reframe her mindset from saying "I can't drink" to "I get to wake up fresh." This shift in language helped her maintain sobriety, though she found it difficult to fit into social circles that still centered on pubs and bottomless brunches.

Viki realized she had no hobbies outside of drinking. To solve this, she started Sober Socials on Facebook. The private group allows members to arrange weekend meet-ups for activities like walking, swimming, and dining out. Participants range from recovering alcoholics to people who simply prefer alcohol-free events occasionally.

The community remains private because many members worry that their employers will assume they have a severe addiction. Viki noted that acquaintances often jumped to conclusions when she stopped drinking, expecting a dramatic backstory. She wanted to normalize sobriety as a lifestyle choice rather than a medical emergency.

Viki now walks and swims as hobbies. She says she is happier and feels empowered because she no longer needs alcohol to cope with difficult emotions. The group continues to grow as people seek a space to connect without the pressure of consuming alcohol.