After Hours with Jimmy Thistle

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Simon is a stonemason living in Glasgow.

For most of his adult life, he found himself drifting into moments where he’d imagine a sober life. He always wanted to get there, but never quite knew how. How would he fit in? How would he function without a drink?

In 2020, he started his own business. That became the final straw that broke the camel’s back. His drinking had been creeping up for years, and things were starting to unravel. Work, relationships, life, all of it felt heavier.

In July 2023, at the end of a music festival, he told his wife he’d had enough.

Since then, he’s had periods of sobriety, some longer than others. But now, 8 months in, something feels different. Alongside therapy and a deeper understanding of himself, this time feels real.

You can find Simon on Instrgram at:
https://www.instagram.com/simon.is.sober?igsh=MThzNml6NjJ3N3Judw==

Simon’s Just Giving Page:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/katie-simon-arran?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=WA&fbclid=PAVERFWARixVhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAaceN9IlkXqO6zmeAbDJlraesiRvBGZeXdBDA45sp5-SC65n0lD-tw2x2aHh3Q_aem_zA-QpmtZqZzd2eVvYm5G8A

Andrew Huberman - Podcast Episode
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/huberman-lab/id1545953110?i=1000744781362

Support the show
My Instagram is:
https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:
https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…
https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt
Alcohol Explained - William Porter
https://a.co/d/0854fIb6
This Naked Mind - Annie Grace
https://a.co/d/0gy6mT9Z
A Million Little Pieces - James Frey
https://a.co/d/0jdcIjGb
Donate:
https://motiv8.im/donate/
https://nacoa.org.uk/get-involved/donating/donate/

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Abi is originally from the UK, but now lives in New Zealand. Mum to 3 teenage girls, she spent most of their childhood buying into the 'mummy wine' culture, rushing bedtime so she could get to the couch and her bottle of wine (or 2). After one of her daughters told her they didn't like the sound of her voice when she was drinking, Abi decided to quit, thinking it would be easy. It took 4 years of constant stop-starting but she got there in the end. Now over 4 years sober, she's finally become the mum she always knew she should be. She now educates people on alcohol-related issues through her 1:1 coaching and her own podcast, The Sober Connection. 

You can find Abi on instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/levelup.withabi?igsh=MTdmbTBlN3k0NzM1bA==

30 Days to Freedom by Abi King
https://subscribepage.io/30-days-to-freedom-reset

The Sober Connection Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sober-connection/id1809595582

Mrs D is Going Without - Lotta Dann
https://a.co/d/04SPXfBI

Boing Point 
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11127680/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

The Virtues
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7186126/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
Support the show
My Instagram is:
https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:
https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…
https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt
Alcohol Explained - William Porter
https://a.co/d/0854fIb6
This Naked Mind - Annie Grace
https://a.co/d/0gy6mT9Z
A Million Little Pieces - James Frey
https://a.co/d/0jdcIjGb
Donate:
https://motiv8.im/donate/
https://nacoa.org.uk/get-involved/donating/donate/

Send us Fan Mail
Emma quit drinking over ten years ago, long before sobriety became a trend or a wellness choice. Back then, choosing not to drink often raised eyebrows, and the only visible routes were AA or rehab. Emma chose neither, instead carving out her own path—without quit lit, podcasts, or a sober community to lean on.
By day, she’s a mum to two teenagers (and two cats) and works for a disability charity. In her spare time, she’s become a passionate advocate for alcohol-free drinks, supporting the category from its earliest days. Today, Emma is a regular judge of alcohol-free categories and writes about non-alcoholic drinks, bringing both lived experience and a sharp critical palate to a category that’s come a long way since she started.

You can find Emma on instagram at:
https://www.instagram.com/emma_sobersonic?igsh=MXVhY2JraXdodWhzbw==
And Emma’s linktree at:
https://linktr.ee/emma_sobersonic
Love Sober Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/love-sober-podcast/id1379018341
The Outrun - Amy Liptrot
https://amzn.eu/d/06LpGWum
Wild - Cheryl Strayed
https://amzn.eu/d/00v410CZ
Dry - Augusten Burroughs
https://amzn.eu/d/0iEP1EZs
Wintering - Katherine May
https://amzn.eu/d/0fOgxG4L

Support the show
My Instagram is:
https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:
https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…
https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt
Alcohol Explained - William Porter
https://a.co/d/0854fIb6
This Naked Mind - Annie Grace
https://a.co/d/0gy6mT9Z
A Million Little Pieces - James Frey
https://a.co/d/0jdcIjGb
Donate:
https://motiv8.im/donate/
https://nacoa.org.uk/get-involved/donating/donate/

Send us Fan Mail
Adam Burg lives in Denver, Colorado, with his wife and their dog, Ruby. 
His sobriety date (May 20, 2022) marks a turning point that came after more than a decade spent cycling through alcoholism, stuck in the all-too-familiar limbo between wanting change and not knowing how to reach it. 
Eventually, something shifted. Adam made the decision to confront his illness head-on. He asked for help, committed to recovery, and began the hard, daily work of rebuilding his life with honesty and intention. 
Today, that same journey has become a source of purpose. What once held him back now fuels his ability to connect with and support others facing similar struggles. His story is one of resilience, accountability, and the belief that change is possible for anyone, one day at a time.

You can find Adam on Instagram at:
https://www.instagram.com/sober__traveler?igsh=MW41bjFvczd2cnBlaA==

Unexpected joy of being sober - Catherine Grey
https://amzn.eu/d/03SBYaMG

Recovery Elevator - Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/recovery-elevator/id971959728
Support the show
My Instagram is:
https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:
https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…
https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt
Alcohol Explained - William Porter
https://a.co/d/0854fIb6
This Naked Mind - Annie Grace
https://a.co/d/0gy6mT9Z
A Million Little Pieces - James Frey
https://a.co/d/0jdcIjGb
Donate:
https://motiv8.im/donate/
https://nacoa.org.uk/get-involved/donating/donate/

Send us Fan Mail
Laura is the author of the bestselling memoir We Are The Luckiest: The Surprising Magic of a Sober Life and Push Off From Here: Nine Essential Truths to Get You Through Life (and Everything Else).
Her work explores the intersection of addiction, recovery, emotional sobriety, and the complexities of relationships. She has written for The New York Times and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, The Atlantic, The TODAY Show, and more.
In 2020, she founded The Luckiest Club, a global sobriety support community, and she writes Love Story, a popular Substack newsletter about sobriety, relationships, and writing. She is currently working on her third book.
Laura lives with her daughter on the North Shore of Boston.

You can find Laura on Instagram at:
https://www.instagram.com/laura_mckowen?igsh=MjBnbDE5eHExbjY2

And all Laura’s other links on Linktree:
https://linktr.ee/laura_mckowen

We Are The Luckiest - Laura McKowen
https://amzn.eu/d/0gKzYmnJ

Push off From Here - Laura McKowen
https://amzn.eu/d/0hZASeMq

John O’Donohue - The Inner Landscape of Beauty
https://amzn.eu/d/0dQokDBM

Sentimental Value
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27714581/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

Drinking: A Love Story - Caroline Knapp
https://amzn.eu/d/0dQokDBM

Support the show
My Instagram is:
https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmy

And you can find all my other links at:
https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle

Buy me a coffee…
https://buymeacoffee.com/afterhourswithjimmyt
Alcohol Explained - William Porter
https://a.co/d/0854fIb6
This Naked Mind - Annie Grace
https://a.co/d/0gy6mT9Z
A Million Little Pieces - James Frey
https://a.co/d/0jdcIjGb
Donate:
https://motiv8.im/donate/
https://nacoa.org.uk/get-involved/donating/donate/