Former DJ drank 13,000 pints in decade-long habit – saved £12k going sober
Kevin Swindells, 36, fell into a party lifestyle as a DJ in Manchester before transforming his life and becoming a sobriety coach in Lisbon
Kevin Swindells (left) spiralled into a hedonistic way of life throughout his twenties
A former ‘professional party animal’ has disclosed he knocked back more than 13,000 pints during his decade-long battle with addiction – and has stashed away over £12k since becoming teetotal 10 months ago.
Kevin Swindells, 36, spiralled into a hedonistic way of life throughout his twenties after launching his DJ career. He would be out on the lash whilst working Thursday through Sunday each week and admits he also ended up dabbling with recreational substances like cocaine.
During certain months his evenings out would set him back more than his £700-a-month rent at the time in Levenshulme, Manchester. He revealed that as his mental wellbeing deteriorated as a consequence, his coping mechanism was to bury his head in the sand – and drink until 7am because he could “never stop after a couple of drinks”.
He estimates he downed over 13,000 beverages – and thousands of pounds worth of cocaine – between 2014 and 2024, before he eventually achieved sobriety by embracing mindfulness techniques including running, yoga and meditation.
Since abandoning the party scene, he has accumulated over £12,500 and now operates as a yoga-informed sobriety coach in Lisbon, Portugal.
Kevin said: “I would be DJing two or three times a week and I got endless free drinks handed to me. I had zero self care, I was numbing negative emotions with drink and drugs. I was stuck in the cycle of feeling terrible and knowing I wasn’t living my life’s purpose.
“It got very dark, drinking and taking drugs consistently for four days a week. One night stands, gigs, partying, socialising – I was always at 100 miles per hour. I was constantly out or hungover. I don’t think I got a good night’s sleep for a decade.
“Moving to Lisbon in 2023 was a golden opportunity to start a sober life and in July 2024 I had my last drink.
“Towards the end of my using, I saw the fork in the road – I’d end up dead or in a mental asylum. I was starting to lose my mind.
“I have absolutely no regrets – every aspect of my life is infinitely better.”
Kevin’s twenties were packed with non-stop parties, events, booze and substances.
He grafted as a DJ and arranged bookings for other DJs, meaning he was immersed in the “hardcore lifestyle”.
He explained: “If I wasn’t DJing, or booking DJs, I’d be out having pints and I’d probably have a bag of something in my pocket too.
“I thought I was cool because everyone knew my face – I’d get free drinks and be on all the guest lists.”
He would consume an average of 25 drinks weekly – five on a Thursday, 10 on a Friday and 10 on a Saturday. This totalled 1,300 annually and 13,000 over a decade, alongside taking drugs during nights out. He revealed: “I needed the other stuff to keep me standing up straight.”
Kevin began recognising himself spiralling into poor mental health, yet carried on because he claims it defined who he was and what people recognised him for.
He admitted: “I had this inflated ego around it, I felt untouchable. I felt like I was a bit of a man about town. But behind closed doors, it got to the point where my mental health was really bad. At my lowest, I experienced suicidal ideation, but I never pursued it.”
He tried attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, but they didn’t strike a chord with him. However, during the lockdowns, Kevin started to face his problems head-on as social gatherings were halted.He took up mindfulness practices such as yoga and journaling.
In June 2023, he relocated to Lisbon in pursuit of a different lifestyle. But he was met with the same reality as back in the UK. He confessed: “I went there with the best of intentions, but the sun was shining, I met the expat community, and someone handed me a beer. Quickly, I was back where I started. I went out every night for months that summer. There’s a strong disco party scene, beach parties, full moon parties in t-shirts.”
After another year of partying and drinking, Kevin realised he needed to make significant changes. He admitted: “I began to think, I don’t want to do this any more. There was a reason I was still feeling like I had done in the UK, and the sunshine wouldn’t solve it.”
In July 2024, he decided to become sober for good. He stayed committed by creating his own “toolbox” of resources including mindfulness practices, running, podcasts and breathwork. He trained and became a yoga instructor, eventually coaching others on their journey to sobriety. And he has just purchased his first flat with his girlfriend, Beatriz, 28, a pharmacist, in Charneca de Caparica.
Kevin revealed: “For a long time, I never thought ahead – I never had a five year or even a six week plan. The easy option would have been to carry on – there is no cost to inaction. But also, staying the same, you lose opportunities. Getting sober is so hard, but so is being stuck in active addiction.
“It is your own personal version of hell, specified to you. All your worst insecurities, fears and memories just eat you alive. 13,000 drinks is a jarring figure to read but I’ll never go back. Now I just want nature, to write, to hike and do yoga – a peaceful, grounded, ‘boring’ life.”
