This week, Vic and Hamish dive headfirst into one of the most common and dangerously convincing excuses in the drinking world:

“I’m not alcoholic enough to stop.”

It’s the idea that if you haven’t hit rock bottom, you haven’t earned your sober stripes. That unless you’re swigging whiskey at 10am or shouting at a toaster in a wine-stained dressing gown, your drinking “isn’t that bad.”

In this episode, Vic and Hame finally get to be the experts—sharing their own experiences of going sober before things totally fell apart. They explore why people cling to this excuse, the outdated stereotype of what an “alcoholic” looks like, and how the stigma, denial, fear of change, and cultural acceptance of booze all play a part in keeping people stuck.

There’s also some fascinating research, a bit of self-deprecating truth telling, and yes—a shame-prevention schemes, and an Australian slang battle that proves even ChatGPT might be an alcoholic.