Living Sober members report positive influence

Valuable support is offered to people giving up drinking on the Living Sober website according to a survey of members conducted late last year.

The online community that supports people to change their relationship with alcohol is popular with members. The survey showed 86% actively interact and 96% answered yes when asked if Living Sober has helped them make positive changes to alcohol use.

Not only is membership seen as generally useful, but 77% say membership of Living Sober helped them in a situation when they may have potentially used alcohol.

Comments about the impact are many:

• I have found real friends. I feel helped and motivated to stay sober. I feel understood and supported.
• Makes me feel like I’m not the only person living/ trying to be happy alcohol free.
• Keeps me sober, grounds me. Know I am not alone.

 The contribution of Lotta Dann is remarked on by many. She is seen as not only as a skilled, inclusive moderator but also a real role model. As one person put it, “Honestly, I can’t thank you and Mrs D enough. You are changing lives for the better.”

Satisfaction with the website is very high (with 91% saying their experience with it is very good) and elicits many positive comments. These include:

• I just love it. It is more support and info than I feel I could get in the real world and I love the anonymity!
• I don’t contribute a lot but love to lurk. I am a very private person and don’t feel alone on here. Very happy with it, has taught me to moderate.

Survey respondents were largely female (94%), New Zealand European (93%) and sober (73% not currently drinking, 17% actively cutting down, 9% intending to cutback).

The Living Sober website was launched in August 2014 and has since grown to become an active online community with more than 3000 members. The website specifically targets people who are not able to moderate their drinking, and is focused on providing opportunities for self-education and empowerment in a safe and welcoming environment.

The New Zealand Drug Foundation works collaboratively with Lotta Dann, Matua Raki and the Health Promotion Agency to publish this website.