In this episode we chat to Paul O'Donoghue who set up Queer Recovery Support Belfast after celebrating a year of sobriety!

Paul talks about how difficult it can be to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community when deciding to remove alcohol - you've found a community that you feel accepted in, but then go against the grain by choosing sobriety.

He also talks to us about how it wasn't just alcohol that he needed to remove from his life - he also regularly used both cocaine and cannabis - and he talks about how alcohol went hand-in-hand with both substances.

We are delighted that Paul isn't just out there doing his thing in the sober space - he's also a hugely valued Over The Influence community member! We have loved getting to know Paul over the last few months, and we know you'll love him too.

If you'd like to find out more about Paul or  Queer Recovery Support, search for @qrs_belfast on Instagram.

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Of course, you can always get in touch with us (publicly or privately) on our socials - @alcoholfreepod on Instagram, or search for "Over The Influence" on Facebook.

We'd love to hear your story - please get in touch with us directly at [email protected] or go to our website, www.overtheinfluence.co.uk

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If you love OTI and you'd like to hear behind the curtain, subscribe to the OTI Premium Podcast now!

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For links to alcohol-related support services, please visit our website.

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All views expressed in this podcast are of the participants themselves, and not necessarily those of Over The Influence (OTI) Ltd. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We are not medical professionals but normal people giving their own experiences of removing alcohol from their lives, and as such this podcast should not be considered professional advice. If you are dependent on alcohol, or think you may be, we strongly recommend that you seek professional medical advice.

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We found hashtags and sober social media accounts really helpful in our early days alcohol free, as following them can help to reinforce that you are not alone! These are some of the hashtags we've followed:

#alcoholfree #stopdrinking #healthandwellnessjourney #zeroalcohol #idontdrink #sobercurious #healthydrinking #alcoholfreelife #soberaf #alcoholfreeliving #sobermotivation #podcast #healthpodcast #noalcohol #nobooze #sober #sobercurious #soberlofe #soberliving #sobercommunity #afcommunity #soberwomen #sobermom #sobermomtribe #sobersisters #sobriety #soberuk #soberjourney #sobrietyrocks #overtheinfluence #oti