BBC
Sam O'Brien West, 32, always knew he was a problem drinker, often the drunkest person in the room at social events. Now sober, the football fan shares his advice for having a great alcohol-free World Cup.
I started drinking when I was around 14 and throughout my 20s, I'd drink to a point of not being in control.
Watching football made things worse. I had an excuse to spend all day in the pub where people were egging each other on to drink more. There'd be that massive excitement but also a feeling of anxiety that I was going to be writing myself off for a couple of days after matches.
When I didn't wake up in time for work after a drinking session three years ago, I decided it was time to stop.
For the past three months I've been an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK - the charity behind Dry January which aims to reduce harm caused by alcohol - and I'm preparing for my first alcohol-free World Cup. Here are my five tips for staying off the booze during football season.
(These tips are not intended for people dealing with alcohol dependency or in recovery from alcoholism. If you are affected by these issues, you can find help and support via BBC Action Line.)
Plan ahead and build a natural buzz
Sam O'Brien West
If you're watching with others, plan ahead. The first step is to make sure you're surrounded by people you're comfortable with. If they're people you don't really know, you might end up feeling awkward - and more likely to reach for the beer.
Next, make sure your energy and social battery are topped up by getting a good night's sleep. I try to do some exercise, with some good tunes on, a few hours before a game to build that natural buzz.
It's helpful to tell people in advance that you're not planning on drinking, particularly if it's new for you or if you're feeling apprehensive. You'll also feel more comfortable when you get there knowing that some of your mates are already on your side about not drinking.
If people ask, I'm always open about my reasons for being sober - apart from it being a problem, it made my anxiety and depression worse.
But if you'd rather not get into a lengthy explanation, you could just say you'd like to challenge yourself to an alcohol-free World Cup.
Don't feel like you have to avoid the pub
When you stop drinking, you might feel like you have to stay out of the pub. But a pub can take the pressure off social interaction because it's more chilled than a party and everyone's attention is focused on the game. Other people are going to be a bit merry around you and you can almost convince yourself that you're on that same high.
I've been quite lucky not to experience this but if people challenge you on your sobriety, be firm - you don't owe an explanation to anyone and it should be enough to just say no.
And if things get a bit rowdy and you think you'll get some resistance to saying goodbye, then you can do an Irish exit and slip away quietly. If they're good mates, they will understand. You can always send a text the next day and explain.
Explore alcohol-free options
When I first went sober, I felt much more part of the moment when I drank alcohol-free beer.
I recommend doing a recce of some places in your area to explore the alcohol-free options. If a pub doesn't have beer on tap, they likely have it in a bottle or can and you could try pouring two into a pint glass. It helps you blend in because you're creating that safe haven of the alcoholic-looking pint that is alcohol-free.
And if you do get tempted to drink, my advice is to think ahead as to how you'll feel the next day. This isn't true for everyone, but it's true for me - if I fast forward that situation, I'm going to be far too drunk. I'm going to wake up the next day, I'm going to feel horrendous and I'm going to have let people down. That's not worth it for me.
Consider getting a round in
Just because you're off the booze, it doesn't mean you have to opt out of rounds. I still get involved if the group is small - and getting your wallet out always goes down well with the drinkers who say "oh, this guy's all right. The non-drinkers are not so bad after all".
But I'm also unlikely to drink lots of pints of alcohol-free beer, so I tend to bow out after one or two.
Don't preach… and just enjoy yourself
While I'm always happy to talk about being sober, it's also important not to preach.
I'm in the minority because a lot of people drink alcohol. So if I'm going around and being annoying about it, then I'm pretty quickly not going to have very many friends.
My life is better when I don't drink. But there are people out there who can have a drink and not act like an idiot, not drink too much and not take it too far. I'm not one of those people, and I don't pretend that everyone is that way.
Having a good experience when you're sober depends a lot on your mindset. If you tell yourself beforehand that you won't have fun because you're not drinking, then you probably won't.
The important thing is to just enjoy the football. When somebody scores a goal, I still feel the same euphoria that I did when I was drinking.
