Zube

This is a weird one people...

Long story short...sitting at a table with a co-worker when others sat down. He was drinking a beer in a glass, I was drinking a Coke in a glass (same kind of glass). Had to shift places when others sat down. Got to gabbing away, as usual, and without even thinking (or looking) accidentally grabbed where my glass had previously been and took a gulp of his beer.

UGH!!!

I immediately knew what I had done, and, without swallowing, spit the beer out into my glass of Coke. Everybody noticed, and, even though it was none of their business, I jokingly commented that if I had drank the sip of beer they would probably be calling my sponsor for me in a few hours.

I realized that the taste of beer, which I used to LOVE, tasted HORRIBLE...however the ALCOHOL in the beer almost immediately go my alcoholic neuro-transmitters dancing the tango!

I also was much more comfortable with my sobriety that I had been in the past that I had no regrets about breaking my anonymity with the sponsor comment, and making a joke about a serious (life or death serious) situation.

This Wednesday will be 2 years sober, and this is the first time anything like this has ever happened. I guess, in the future, I need to try to be less scatterbrain when somebody else's drink is at the same table as mine!

Got me to thinking though, if I had swallowed the sip of beer, do I reset my sobriety date?

LOL.

Zube

sugarbear1

unintentional and you didn't get drunk.

remember the kindling effect.....and be wary!! Just don't purposely drink!!

tammy711

That had to be really weird. I honestly don't know what I would have done. Kudos on how you handled yourself.

paul99

Yikes!! Great way of handling it, especially the sponsor comment. Rule 62...ha ha

pipparina

When I was about 3 years sober, I accidentally took a sip of a vodka and cranberry. Someone ordered my drink for me, odered me a cranberry and club soda, but the bartender misheard. Scared the daylights out of me. I called my sponsor to let her know, but it didn't trigger anything. Just taught me a lesson to be careful.
It happens. You did the right thing. And that you were scared was a good sign of your commitment to sobriety

soberbythesea

This exact thing just happened to me at a wedding (with the vodka cranberry.) there's a thread about it someplace. I was able to spit it out in time but it totally messed with my head for a bit.

Caldus

Wow I can only imagine how frightening that would be. All of that clean/sober time thrown away by an accidental, unfortunate event like that. I will have to remember to be very careful if I decide to attend my work's holiday party this year.

soberbythesea

Yeah, it would have sucked if I had swallowed it. I still don't think I would have reset my sobriety date, since it was a complete accident. It would have been a tougher question though.

TheEnd

Nothing would have been thrown away, because it was an accident. Sobriety is all about intentions and if truly didn't intend to drink then there is nothing wrong.

sunrise1

I don't personally consider that a relapse. Yes, we are powerless against alcohol, but when relapsing we are conscious of what we are doing. That's the difference.

My husband brought me a diet coke that turned out to have rum in it. Because I like my sodas with lime, it was hard to taste but it was there. I had taken one sip and swallowed before handing the drink directly back to my husband.

I asked him to replace it with a diet, which he did. It was an honest mistake. And truthfully? My addictive voice said "keep it- no one will know!!!" Which is why I told on myself instantly and did not even allow myself to carry it back to the bar.