Episode

Hiding Wine Bottles to 47 and Sober: Alex Leigh Story

Podcast
One for the Road: The Quit Drinking Podcast
Published
Oct 24, 2025
Duration seconds
4219
Processing state
processed
Canonical source
https://shows.acast.com/one-for-the-road-1/episodes/alex-leigh
Audio
https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/64a1692cfc86ab00111f2ce6/e/68f930f258b21da8ffd395d8/media.mp3
JSON
/v1/public/podcasts/one-for-the-road-the-quit-drinking-podcast-3741204/episodes/hiding-wine-bottles-to-47-and-sober-alex-leigh-story
Markdown
/podcast/one-for-the-road-the-quit-drinking-podcast-3741204/hiding-wine-bottles-to-47-and-sober-alex-leigh-story.md

Actions

  • POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/one-for-the-road-the-quit-drinking-podcast-3741204/episodes/hiding-wine-bottles-to-47-and-sober-alex-leigh-story/transcription-requests
    Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
  • GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/one-for-the-road-the-quit-drinking-podcast-3741204/hiding-wine-bottles-to-47-and-sober-alex-leigh-story.md
    Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

Summary

Alex Lee shares her journey from a high-flying international modeling career fueled by substance use to finding lasting sobriety in Athens. She details the transition from hiding wine bottles to reclaiming her energy and mental clarity.

Topics

  • Sobriety
  • Alcohol Addiction
  • Trauma Recovery
  • Mental Health
  • Personal Transformation
  • Modeling Industry
  • Grief
  • Lifestyle Change

Highlights

  • Main idea: True recovery involves addressing underlying childhood trauma rather than just managing symptoms
  • Failure mode: Mistaking alcohol-induced depression for a natural part of aging or perimenopause
  • Practical takeaway: Avoid the 'forever' mindset; focus on navigating life one hour or one day at a time
  • Lesson: Self-compassion is essential when integrating your past struggles into your new, sober identity
  • Insight: Sobriety is not about deprivation, but about gaining the energy and motivation to actually live

Chapters

  1. 1:00 Introduction and Coaching: Host Sober Dave introduces the episode and shares details about his one-to-one coaching program for professionals.
  2. 6:30 Early Childhood Trauma: Alex reflects on the loss of her father and how early grief shaped her coping mechanisms.
  3. 11:50 The Rise of Substance Use: The transition from smoking to drinking as a rite of passage during her teenage years.
  4. 17:10 The Peak of Success: Alex discusses her years as a successful international model and the hidden cost of the lifestyle.
  5. 22:20 The Cycle of Self-Medication: How the loop of drugs and alcohol created a cycle of depression and physical exhaustion.
  6. 27:50 Impact on Relationships: The social consequences of drinking and the persona of being the 'party clown' at the expense of real connection.
  7. 33:00 The Breaking Point: Navigating the depths of depression and the realization that alcohol was the primary driver of her instability.