Millie Gooch: Binge Drinking, Sobriety and Building Sober Girl Society

In this episode of Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma, Matt travels to London to speak with Millie Gooch, founder of Sober Girl Society, published author, and social media creator.

Millie’s story is a powerful example of how alcohol harm does not always look like the stereotype. She describes a pattern many people recognise but rarely name. Nights out that become blackouts, rising anxiety, the cycle of beer fear, and the gradual realisation that alcohol had stopped being “just a social thing” and started shaping every part of her wellbeing.

This conversation explores how Millie quit drinking, the role therapy played in her recovery, and how Sober Girl Society became a nationwide community for women who want to live differently.

What we discuss in this episode

This episode covers a wide range of practical and cultural issues around alcohol:

• Binge drinking and blackout culture

• Labels and why Millie does not use the term “alcoholic” for herself

• Therapy, mental health, and learning to regulate emotions without alcohol

• Alcohol-free dating and how confidence changes when it is not coming from “liquid courage”

• Sober sex, consent, and remembering what happened

• Sober Girl Society events, virtual calls, and building sober community in the UK

• Social media influence, stigma, and being called “preachy” for promoting harm reduction

• Alcohol-free drinks, including the rise of no and low options

• The Sober Girl Society Handbook and why it was written for younger women

Why this episode matters

Millie speaks to a reality that often gets missed in mainstream alcohol conversations. People can be high functioning and still be at risk. They can be holding down work and friendships while regularly blacking out, waking up terrified, and living in a cycle of anxiety and shame.

Her story also highlights a huge gap. Many people, especially younger women, do not see themselves in traditional recovery spaces. They may fear they are “not bad enough” to ask for help. They may want to reduce harm, build community, and create structure before things escalate.

This episode is a strong example of what early intervention can look like when it is accessible, relatable, and rooted in real life.

Key Takeaways

For readers short on time, Episode 2 makes five things clear:

• Binge drinking can be harmful even without daily dependency

• Confidence built through sobriety becomes real confidence that stays with you

• Therapy can be a critical part of recovery, especially when alcohol has been emotional regulation

• Community matters, particularly for people who feel isolated or do not identify with traditional recovery labels

• Alcohol-free culture is growing, but stigma still shows up as “boring”, “preachy”, or “fun police” narratives

Quotes from this episode

“I never drank because I really liked the taste. I drank because I wanted to get absolutely out of it.”

“I think I had loads of rock middle moments. There just wasn’t one thing.”

“By dating sober, I really started to build confidence innately, and that confidence kind of stays with you.”

About Millie Gooch

Millie Gooch is the founder of Sober Girl Society, a UK-based community supporting women who want to stop drinking, cut down, or explore sobriety in a way that feels accessible and non-judgemental.

She is the author of The Sober Girl Society Handbook, a practical guide rooted in sober curiosity and harm reduction. Millie also hosts events and meetups across the UK, runs virtual community calls, and creates alcohol-awareness content for younger audiences via Instagram and TikTok.

https://sobergirlsociety.com/