New member here

[buntzhouse]

Hi, new to the forum,

I've been drinking every night, late night before bed for about 20 years and it's not really doing anything for me but making me feel not all that great, seems to be more of a ritual habit than anything.

So decided today to replace it with NA beer and wine, I don't normally start drinking till late around midnight so even if it did triger me to want the real thing, it'd be too late for me to run to the store anyway, I like to drink, just don't like the negative effects of the alcohol. So hopefully this should work, just never thought about before, for some reason.

Thanks

[Dee74]

Hi Buntzhouse

well NA beer didn't work too well for me - it didn't really solve the problem for me, just pushed it sideways for a while...

it looked felt, smelt and pretty much tasted like real beer...I drank it like I drank real beer...it just made me want real beer more...and sooner or later...

I really needed to go deeper than just changing my drink - but yeah, I gave that a shot....

I hope you have different results

D

[NewBeginning010]

Welcome buntzhouse

We all understand how challenging this can be, the good news is that this can and will get better by putting in some effort & working a program of recovery.

Keep sharing & keep posting, we are with you on this.

Cheers ~ NB

[Impurrfect]

((buntzhouse)) - Welcome to SR!

Hugs and prayers,

Amy

[buntzhouse]

Just to update, I dranks 3 N/A Becks last night, loved the taste and I'm up the next day and feel great, didn't make me want the real thing.

The main reason I drank late at night before bed was to get me relaxed and go to sleep, never craved it in the daytime or evenings. Come to find out it's the hops that make you sleepy, they're from the cannibus family, so it seems N/A beer does a better job at putting you to sleep then regular beer since the buzz from the alcohol would usually do the opposite (make me less sleepy) and keep me drinking until I passed out.

So it's looking good, should be able to get my running speed back up again, since alcohol really slowed it down quite a bit.

[sugarbear1]

Alcohol is a depressant, that would help with the "sleepy" feeling (then it disrupts normal sleep patterns).

I thought they still had a small amount of alcohol in them. That would eventually lead me back out to the real thing. I drank for the effect, not the taste, but that's me.

Glad you are enjoying your NA beer.

[flutter]

Welcome!

[buntzhouse]

Originally Posted by sugarbear1

Alcohol is a depressant, that would help with the "sleepy" feeling (then it disrupts normal sleep patterns).

I thought they still had a small amount of alcohol in them. That would eventually lead me back out to the real thing. I drank for the effect, not the taste, but that's me.

Glad you are enjoying your NA beer.

It does have .05% which to me is good, you could drink 10 and it would only equal 1 beer, i like to drink mainly for the recreation of it. The buzz just doesn't do it for me anymore but make me feel uncomfortable, give me stomach problems and slow me down at the gym the next day.

[hopeful78]

I am new today as well- I had thought about the NA beers or wine- but I think it would be putting a tiny band-aid over a bullet hole really......I hope the best for you..... I am attempting this cold turkey with the help of this group......good luck to us all!

[MalkavianEmily]

Welcome buntzhouse.
I have to say I'm another one who can't see the point of NA beer. But then, I didn't drink for the taste.

[buntzhouse]

Originally Posted by MalkavianEmily

Welcome buntzhouse.
I have to say I'm another one who can't see the point of NA beer. But then, I didn't drink for the taste.

Yeah I guess my craving for alcohol wore off and just continued to stay hooked on the recreation of it, since I can't see myself going to bed without being able to drink.

[oh2exhale]

Hi Buntzhouse!
I guess what you are saying is that you have admitted in your innermost self that you cannot control how much you drink once you start? So, you want to stop drinking alcohol altogether? I dont mean to sound confused about your post, but, are you letting us know what you feel to be the solution to your drinking problem? or are you asking whether or not this may derail your attempts to quit drinking? Please post a clarification. Glad youre here on this site!! Welcome!

[hypochondriac]

Welcome Buntzhouse

Using beer to help me sleep was by best excuse for years, but I came to realise I drank because I was an alcoholic. I absolutely love the fact that I can sleep for England now I'm sober

I recently found out that I can't have any NA substitutes or even mixers without craving the real thing It doesn't sound like you think you have an alcohol problem though so the NA beer is probably fine. My mum does that. Lots of NA beers and tonic water and just the one glass of wine before bed. I think I've scared her into being sensible with her drinking

All the best x

[buntzhouse]

Originally Posted by oh2exhale

Hi Buntzhouse!
I guess what you are saying is that you have admitted in your innermost self that you cannot control how much you drink once you start? So, you want to stop drinking alcohol altogether? I dont mean to sound confused about your post, but, are you letting us know what you feel to be the solution to your drinking problem? or are you asking whether or not this may derail your attempts to quit drinking? Please post a clarification. Glad youre here on this site!! Welcome!

I'm saying the N/A beer so far looks like the solution for me, since I don't want to have to give up drinking but I do want to give up the buzz and the alcohol in the drink and I don't think the small amount of alcohol in it is gonna be a problem for me.