'I set up a social group for sober people'

Laura Mitchell said going sober was the best decision she ever made

A woman from Stoke-on-Trent who found life got more lonely after she gave up drinking alcohol has set up a social group for others who have chosen to go sober.

Laura Mitchell from Trentham said giving up drinking was the "best decision" she ever made, but that sometimes people thought she might not want to be invited to social events where the would be alcohol.

Her group, Sober Stokies, launched in May and now has 150 members and is due to have its first curry night later this month.

Ms Mitchell said although it was not a support group it had helped offer a sense of camaraderie.

She said she made the decision to quit drinking because she was struggling with her mental health.

She drank to cope, which made her mental health worse - causing panic attacks and making her afraid to go outside to socialise with her friends.

In May 2024, she decided to cut out booze for 30 days to prove to herself that she could do it.

She then extended this for a further 30 days of sobriety, but she has now been sober for more than a year.

"I realised how good I felt, and I fell in love with that feeling of feeling good."

She said some people trying to stay sober might shy away from environments where there was alcohol, but that she still wanted to maintain her social life.

"I've tried everything, and I didn't realise just what an impact alcohol was having on my mental, emotional and physical health," she said.

"We are surrounded everywhere by alcohol, so going alcohol-free you are the minority.

"People look at you and think there's something wrong because you're not drinking."

Her group includes things like coffee mornings and walks, as well as the forthcoming curry night.

She said the restaurant would still serve alcohol to other tables, but their table would be an alcohol-free space.

Ms Mitchell added it did not matter why people were alcohol-free, anyone would be welcome in the group as long as an alcohol-free life was their goal.