STANDING on the pub balcony, Sara Coombes chuckled as she tossed her wet pants over the fence into the garden below.
It’s one of many moments she now feels embarrassed about when reflecting on the festive season during her 25 years of drinking. She would easily consume 50 units of alcohol in just one party night – nearly four times the NHS recommended limit for an entire week.
After a long struggle with alcoholism, Sara Coombes has transformed her life and is now a sober coach.Credit: Sara CoombesSara, pictured at Christmas with friends, mentioned she would consume 50 units of alcohol in just one party night.Credit: Sara CoombesSara drunk at a work Christmas party back in 2010.Credit: Sarah Coombes
On that particular night, Sara was at her workplace and had lost control of her bladder. She boldly attempted to turn her humiliation into a joke.
Speaking exclusively to us, Sara, 49, who resides in Ryde on the Isle of Wight with her husband Martin, 50, a carpenter, and son Josh, 21, says: “Christmas gives you the freedom to party and drink excessively.”
“It’s painful to recall incidents like that – I embarrassed myself in so many ways. It would be bad enough if I were a teenager, but I was a mother in my 30s at the time – although I can’t remember exactly when it was. All those nights are a blur.
I’d often take sick days the next day because I was so embarrassed and tell everyone I got so drunk because I hadn’t eaten, or even that my drink was spiked.
Sara Coombes
“I would start fights, refuse to leave, dance on tables, pass out, and need to be carried into a taxi and out again when I got home. I not only wet myself, but once squatted down in full view of everyone to relieve myself outside a pub.
“Somehow my colleagues from the care home where I worked thought my wetting myself was amusing. The following year they gave me a six-pack of pants before we went out for our work party. I played along and wore them on my head, but inside I was mortified.
“I’d often take sick days the next day because I was so embarrassed and tell everyone I got so drunk because I hadn’t eaten, or even that my drink was spiked.
“It was never true; I would have already consumed a bottle of wine before I even left the house and then continued drinking anything I could find. By the end of the night, that would amount to at least another three bottles of wine and a bunch of shots.”
However, what haunts Sara the most is that she ruined Christmas for her son Josh.
She recalls, “Every year was the same. I was more focused on drinking than making it special for Josh. I would finish nearly a bottle of Baileys before 11:30 am, then go to my mother’s house and consume a bottle of coffee liqueur.
“That brought problems too, as my mum would buy it in advance, and I would often steal it when I couldn’t afford to buy my own alcohol.
“So she’d be searching for a bottle of Baileys, and I’d gaslight her, claiming she must have forgotten to buy it. Then I would feel so ashamed that I would drink even more to suppress those feelings.
“Afterwards, we’d go to my sister’s for a big family dinner, and I’d switch to wine or prosecco – consuming at least three bottles.
“Martin would notice that I was far too drunk and suggest we leave, and I would start an argument, telling him to go alone and take Josh.
The first thing I’d do is buy my wine – at least six bottles and a bottle of Baileys and sherry to last until the day after Boxing Day – and then I’d buy my son’s presents
I'm dedicated to creating high-quality content that informs, inspires, and delights. If you have any questions or suggestions, don't hesitate to get in touch. Happy reading!
After a long struggle with alcoholism, Sara Coombes has transformed her life and is now a sober coach.Credit: Sara Coombes
Sara, pictured at Christmas with friends, mentioned she would consume 50 units of alcohol in just one party night.Credit: Sara Coombes
Sara drunk at a work Christmas party back in 2010.Credit: Sarah Coombes
