"Being around like-minded people has helped me on my own journey considerably"
Meet Stuart. He’s been hosting Untoxicated events for 9 months. Here he tells us how he got into it and what he gets out of it.
What drew you to hosting with Untoxicated?
I became a host for a few different reasons. I saw that the events had a majority of females attend at the time and I wanted to increase male participation. Men’s mental health is an important issue for me and thought I’d be able to create events for men to get together and to feel comfortable to talk about any drinking issues if they wanted to - and have fun at the same time. For men it can be difficult to admit they might have a problem and talking to othemen somehow makes it easier.
I also became a host because I was under pressure from Faye, she’s one lady you don’t want to piss off so had to oblige (I think he’s joking ;-) - Faye).
I also became a host as I recognised what a great community that had been created collaboratively and wanted to see how I could make a small contribution and help it grow.
What do you like about being a host?
Being around like-minded people has helped me on my own journey considerably. Being able to create special experiences for others and seeing them connect and make friends brings me great joy. Making these connections and watching people grow and being part of that is very rewarding.
Have you benefited personally?
“Yes, in many ways. I’ve made friends, I’ve become part of a connected tribe that has helped me maintain my own sobriety. When I have difficult days I know I’m not alone and there’s always someone out there to get support if I need it.”
And I have grown to learn that during my short time of sobriety (1 yr 2 months and counting) that my voice and experiences can indeed help others as well. I used to dread giving advice as I kinda felt ‘who’d listen to me?’ But I’ve learnt that in fact I can offer advice and support and it can help others. So really just gaining confidence and belief within myself.
Any advice for someone considering hosting?
Host events that you are passionate about yourself. For me it’s active events such as biking and camping. Enjoy, relax and have a giggle. Don’t take it too seriously.