Best friends launch Sober Experiment wellbeing company for 'normal' drinkers

Lisa and Alex before their first rehab presentation

After drinking together for almost 30 years, best friends Alex Walker and Lisa Elsworth started their own Sober Experiment, just to see what life would be like if they took a break from alcohol.

It soon became permanent, resulting in the duo launching The Sober Experiment wellbeing company, providing support for ‘grey area drinkers’ like themselves – those who feel dependent on alcohol to relieve stress from work, reward the week or calm anxiety.

Alex, originally of Littleborough, is a 42-year old mum of three and an accredited training provider focusing on alcohol recovery. She has a BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences, a PGCE and a passion for neuroscience and human behaviour. After realising alcohol was impacting her mental health, she decided to give up alcohol and now has aspirations of publishing her own book to spread the word of sobriety.

Lisa, of Smithy Bridge, is a 40-year-old mum of three and a director of the IPHM, an international accreditation board for Holistic Complementary Alternative Therapists and Training Providers. She is also a co-founder of Bee Sober, a social group for sober people across Manchester.

Both believe that giving up alcohol has been the best thing to happen to them and their families, and are passionate about removing the stigma attached to alcohol – wanting people to know that you do not need to label yourself as alcoholic to choose sobriety.

Since starting the Sober Experiment, Alex and Lisa have been visiting workplaces, rehab centres and schools to talk about our journey and educate people about how alcohol impacts mental health.

During lockdown, the women ran ‘sober sessions’ with other sober influencers and authors, which ran throughout lockdown every Saturday to support the community and featured special guests each week. 

They said: “People in the UK have been filling their shopping trolleys with alcohol during lockdown and this has had a huge effect on wellbeing and mental health.

“This includes people from all walks of life, so-called ‘normal’ drinkers and has increased the proportion of problem drinkers as many people have been drowning their sorrows during this pandemic to self-medicate, numb their feelings and cure the boredom of self-isolation.”

The Sober Experiment – which offers 30 days’ support to reset your drinking habits – is for everyone who chooses not to drink alcohol (either for social, religious, cultural or personal reasons),whilst challenging beliefs around alcohol.

It provides a safe space for people to talk openly and honestly without the fear of being labelled or judged.

For more information, please visit:

• https://soberexperiment.co.uk/