Harley1973

Went to Walmart today and noticed they have alcohol everywhere in that store!! There was cold beer next to the donuts in the bakery (I thought that was a odd combination) , Then I noticed the whole aisle of alcohol was in same aisle as the dairy products, then I noticed they had beer in 3 other locations of the store 1 in sporting goods, 1 by the electronics and one right next to the pharmacy!!! I've never noticed this until today, I just thinks its odd that they have alcohol all through out the store. Its like they're trying to push us to drink!!

P.S I didn't buy any I'm still sober.

Dee74

It will get easier. I never notice alcohol now

D

bluedog97

I still notice it too. It's like the big pink elephant in the room. No matter how hard you try to ignore it, it's there.

leviathan

They absolutely ARE pushing us to drink.-Big time $ involved.

It actually gives me a little thrill being able to walk right by something that once seemed to be as necessary an expense as my power bill. It's neat to know I've removed myself from their money stream. I know they want me and the other escapees back. I literally bought enough each month to finance a Cadillac.

ScottFromWI

Temptation is always out there....it just takes on different forms. Learning to live with it and accepting that it will never be gone is imperative IMHO

FBL

Very common in early recovery to notice such things. After a while, you probably won't even notice, or if you do notice, won't care.

August252015

I notice it around me, but I don't care. I also work in a restaurant and serve people every day, so it's a good thing my problem has been removed thanks to AA. In my personal life, I don't put myself around alcohol - ie, keep it in the house, or spend time in "drinking situations." Not because I think I might drink- but because I am just not interested in that stuff.

While everyone handles the ever-presence of alcohol differently, it is possible to put it in a place just like any other object in the world, and have different feelings about it than you do now.

Keep on going! I know a lot has changed for me- in all ways- since around the 100 day mark (I am now at 380 days). You can do it.

aasharon90

It didn't do me any good to dream, reminisce,
wish, look, etc at alcohol when shopping in
early recovery.

Yes, I knew and know that alcohol is everywhere,
lurking, just waiting to snag someone, anyone,
like a beautiful red apple in the garden of Edan,
temptation, knowing all good and well that I
cant touch it, that it is poison, that it could kill
me.

I did put on my blinders in early recovery,
had my grocery list in hand, walked quickly
thru the isles I needed to go, got what was
on my list and go the heck out of there pronto.

Of course this is and was me, vowing to
do whatever I needed to do to avoid the
wrath of addiction I was working so hard
to keep out of my life.

With rehab behind me, armed with tools
and knowledge of my illness, sickness taught
to me and a program of recovery as my
guideline, I continue to stand strong against
the evils of poison that will always be tempting,
lurking at the grocery stores.

I had and still have NO business around
alcohol if I am to remain successful in my
own recovery life to maintain health,
happiness, honesty, responsibility, purpose,
passionate, serene etc.

Over the yrs, I continue to learn from
others that alcohol is still alive and well,
and isn't going anywhere's. So there's no
need to ever think that I will ever be a
normal, successful drinker of alcohol
without the poisonous, addictive affects
it has on my mind, body and soul.

JeffreyAK

I certainly noticed all those displays early on, but in time I stopped noticing, and now I don't pay any more attention to them than I would, say, a kleenex display. Yes, they are trying to push us to drink, they make a lot of money on alcohol sales, especially to heavy drinkers.

Clean30

There is a test pilot near me at a grocery store here they will be serving beer opened at a little bar inside a grocery store. That's the last thing I need to hear when shopping is a group of buzzed people carrying on.

I honesty can't believe it.

MrMcTell

It really beggars belief if you can even begin to look at it with an objective eye.

There is a massive industry (it calls itself a "science") in the retail sector of studying consumer behaviors. It only takes a few moments walking around a store thinking about how things are very deliberately laid out to realize how manipulative and pernicious everything is.

Basically, every store is awash with things that will kill you if given free reign. It plainly obvious that stores want you to "treat yourself" to these "goodies" all day every day.

When I was a kid (now I sound old) I'm sure the booze aisle was a separate area? My parents never went down there, had no reason to, It was like the pet food aisle. We didn't have pets, so I never went down there either. Today you literally can't move your cart about because of pallets of cheap beer and wine dumped out all over the store. It is impossible not to walk past it.

In the supermarket I use it is definitely impossible to buy milk without having to go past the beer and wine aisle which seems to be taking over more and more walking space week by week!

tomsteve

when I was early in recovery it seemed everywhere I looked I either saw alcohol or advertising about it.
over time I stopped noticing it. even though its there, I didn't give it the attention.

Fly N Buy

Alcohol is everywhere!

Not in my system, however........Made a decision, took some action and do things to daily support my sobriety. It was much harder getting pummeled by booze everyday in hindsight. Nothing special, just threw in the towel.

Post often, drink never........

Upstairs

It all gets easier, as has been said above. Stores didn't bother me as much seeing it around. What I would see on TV probably tested me more so. Lots and lots of advertisements to tug at my appetites.

thomas11

I've somehow trained my brain to see alcohol as "bad" (I think that's the medical term). I see what it has done to me, how it has made me feel, how ridiculous I was to keep carrying on the way I was. Don't get me wrong, I know complacency can lead right back to square one. Even on facebook I see people partying it up and I am no jealous or envious one bit.

SoberCAH

I agree with Sharon.

After being sober a few 24 hours, I still regard alcohol as bigger than myself.

I still respect it as something which can kill me.

I am around it socially quite a bit and, of course, I see it in grocery stores and restaurants quite a bit.

Although it doesn't bother me these days, I am still mindful of its presence and lethal power.

My wife and I serve wine or beer for parties, although those occasions are fairly rare.

Everyone's mileage may vary on this matter, but I am still very careful around alcohol.

steve-in-kville

Thankfully, here in Pennsylvania, most alcohol sales are limited to distributors and liquor stores (for the most part). But that tide is changing.... beer licenses are slowly being allowed for grocery stores and the like.

AnvilheadII

if you buy a new corvette, suddenly you see 'vettes EVERYWHERE.

the alcohol was ALWAYS there, but since now your focus is NOT consuming it (but possibly still having the urge TO drink, or still in the habit OF drinking) now you "see" it everywhere.

vegetarians probably "see" a lot more in the produce section than your standard "lettuce/tomato/potato/onion" person.

people with gluten sensitivities come to learn how many things contain gluten.

same with sugar. just TRY to consume only foods that contain NO sugar.

an office work group will NEVER bring in as many baked goods and treats as the first week of YOUR new diet.

just how it works. we learn to adjust. and not take it personal!!!!

graciepearl

I had been drinking wine for a long time and they never had single serving sippy boxes till recently. I just sip my coffee and move on and pray for all those still under the thumb of addiction.