Substitute for alcohol. Is there any?
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: South Bay, So Cal
Posts: 6,116
My substitute for drnking the night away is two-fold. #1: Being of service to my fellows in my AA Meetings...in my own way. I bake in the evening, when just a short while back I would have been drinking 'my' wine. Now, I'm baking my goodies for the next days meeting. #2: Instead of continuing to drink, I enjoy coming into our bedroom and reading SR before bedtime. So, instead of passing out each night, SR is like a meeting before going to sleep. Now, actual liquids I drink. Even when I drank alcohol, I had carbonated water all day, till I switched to wine for the night. I still do the same thing (MINUS THE WINE). I haven't liked soda since I was a teenager. Water... YUM,it's TRUE....nothing else will quench your thirst. 
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 36
I have a sober friend who swears by Becks non-alcoholic beer. He drinks for the taste. He's been a sober member of AA for over 25 yrs.
Personally I never drank for the taste, but rather for the effect. Drinking Non-Alcoholic drinks made me crave the release of the real thing leading to relapses.
Today I like to add 2 packets of Emergen-C to my water every now and then. Feels like a real treat.
Personally I never drank for the taste, but rather for the effect. Drinking Non-Alcoholic drinks made me crave the release of the real thing leading to relapses.
Today I like to add 2 packets of Emergen-C to my water every now and then. Feels like a real treat.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: East Coast, The States
Posts: 12,162
My best substitute for alcohol is the high self esteem and self respect I recieve from not building my world around a poisonous beverage.
It is fun to be addicted to feeling good about oneself.
And you carry it around with you wherever you go.... very practical! You're always prepared for any occasion that may arise when you carry self respect in your pocket!
It is fun to be addicted to feeling good about oneself.
And you carry it around with you wherever you go.... very practical! You're always prepared for any occasion that may arise when you carry self respect in your pocket!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Posts: 3,027
Old thread...but I've found substitutes strangely important, I take a chilled bottle of Pellegrino into my bath. I also drink diet mountain dew or other diet soda, because I avoid sugar and don't have issues enjoying the sweet taste of diet soda. I order Pellegrino in restaurants.
Here's a weird Pavlovian thing. After starting to drink my Pellegrino I get that same relaxed slightly euphoric feeling. My brain isn't convinced with it, haha. I was a hard seltzer drinker. It's a similar taste.
Here's a weird Pavlovian thing. After starting to drink my Pellegrino I get that same relaxed slightly euphoric feeling. My brain isn't convinced with it, haha. I was a hard seltzer drinker. It's a similar taste.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 1
Vodandoxy
When I first got sober for 3 months, I was drinking about maybe 15 bottles of N.A. beer a day. We even cleared out the entire of the Dominican republic of the stuff When we went on holiday there. Here we are 2 years later, and on day 2 of my recovery. Abstinence from alcohol of any type must be the key. AA is a substitute for many. But to me a member of AA you have to have a desire to drinking. If you don't have a desire to stop drinking completely and would like to control it instead, technically there isnt a seat in an AA meeting for you (unless it's and Open meeting.) Stop drinking those three beer a week I suggest as, never week next month or next year, who know - you could by dead or in prison.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 983
I know I couldn't drink na, it would leave me longing for the effect of alcohol and the taste would trigger me. I do find sometimes I get a thirst that only something fizzy will take away so I have been drinking more fizzy drinks like a cream soda or ginger beer. Also a milkshake has become a new fav.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 983
Originally Posted by Bunny211 
Read "A Vision for You" in the big book of alcoholics anonymous. Yes, there is a solution and there is a substitute.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Michigan
Posts: 5,377
Some of my favorites: Diet mountain dew on the rocks! Or coffee - regular in morning and decaf at night. Or hot green tea at night. Or water on the rocks with a sweet n low!
Whatever you choose just make sure it's not alcohol! You'll get used to it after a while and it's healthier!
Whatever you choose just make sure it's not alcohol! You'll get used to it after a while and it's healthier!
Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: West Tn
Posts: 3,043
Originally Posted by Bunny211
Read "A Vision for You" in the big book of alcoholics anonymous. Yes, there is a solution and there is a substitute.
Mediterranean diets, reading, hot chocolate, Chamomile tea, yoga, cardio exercise, etc. may be very enjoyable life enhancements, but they don't constitute a plan of recovery.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 1,601
Originally Posted by Lpg
Just read this chapter today! So much to learn. I found the part about the about the boy whistling in the dark trying to fool himself about how great his soberity is but inwardly would take 6 drinks if he could and it kind of made me think about my own reactions lately! I keep re reading parts as I read things differently every time.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 274
Herbal teas. Cranberry juice but a fancy sort with not much sugar, or black cherry organic juice and then add tonic or diet tonic. Maybe some lime. Pellegrino is also my favorite and so is the blood orange Pellegrino, a soft drink. Geroldstein if you can get it, it's German sparkly water. Also, the taste of alcohol will leave bothering you if you have some really good food.
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