crisco

I wonder how many times that an alcoholic has lost a significant amount of sober time to a stupid beer commercial. I just saw a tantalizing Corona commercial advertising beer and I felt like that why I am not drinking Corona Beer? Of course, my head reminded that I got two DUIs from this disease and still do not have a car because I do not want to pay high insurance fees or buy a car for $12000 in cash (which is required because my work commute is 40+ plus miles each way).

doggonecarl

Then more secure you are in your recovery, the less sway beer commercials will have on your addiction.

Fitcher

Reimagine them to be what they are - lies wrapped in attractive packaging designed to trick the masses into believing that consuming poison can make their lives better.

Soberwolf

Are you going to close your eyes if you see alcohol or anything alcohol related while outside ?

The 'tantalizing' Is your AV

If your in early recovery know this gets better

tomsteve

none.
beer commercials cant cause and elbow to bend.
an alcoholics thinking, on the other hand.......

Doug39

Temptation will always be around - unless we move to a cave.

My wife and I were just at a bar. She ordered a vodka and tonic and I ordered a ginger ale. As I was carrying the drinks to the table I looked down at the vodka and tonic in my hand and I swore I could taste it just by looking at it - it looked so refreshing.

But I instantly stopped fantasizing and remembered what alcohol has done to me.

This will be my first complete sober summer since the summer of 1988 - it will be a true test. I love BBQ, camping, vacationing, any outdoor activity - and alcohol was always in the equation.

ScottFromWI

Temptation is everywhere, always will be too unfortunately. Coming here to talk it through is a much better option though!

bluedog97

I've lived a beer commercial. I've been in a bar when everything - the music, the lights, the mood, the barmaids, the crowd, the beer - was just right. But that only happened a handful of times. Trying to recapture that, especially at my age, is near impossible. It's like chasing that first high you got from drinking or a drug - you can't get it back.

I'm sure we all had good times. But what about the bad? Any nostalgia you feel is your AV playing with your mind. That's exactly what beer commercials are designed to do.

Doug39

If only my wife could realize this. My wife and I are both 53 and I knew that the bar scene was a dead end years ago.

My wife is still a heavy drinker and she still loves going to the bars (as does her best friend who is also alcoholic).

Nothing more pathetic than a drunken older woman acting like a foolish kid out in public.

Dee74

If I drink it's down to me not a beer commercial - just my 2 cents.

D

bluedog97

I hear you Doug. I quit going to bars because I was making a fool out of myself in public. I lived in a downtown metropolitan area walking distance to tons of bars. Like a kid on a candy store. Boy did I make an ass of myself. Wrecked a lot of friendships too. Or were they just drinking buddies.

Didn't stop me from drinking though, I just stayed at home.

puddlejumper70

Exactly what I did. I got to where after about 23 years old, I stopped drinking in public and only drank at home, alone. Unlike what you see on the show Intervention, I never showed up to family functions with a drop of alcohol in my system, nor did I ever drink in restaurants or sporting events.

I knew if I did I'd go through the typical phases... first happy, then funny/sarcastic, then quiet, then pi$$y, then a$$hole.

August252015

Never.

It is always my choice- every alcoholic's choice- to drink or not. We can justify or blame any "cause" but that's a lie.

PhoenixJ

a trigger to remember

bluedog97

I think it goes beyond choice. If it were as simple as choosing not to drink, none of us would be here. Like I choose not to eat cereal for breakfast - there's no recovery website to help me with that, and no need for one.

Of course a beer commercial can trigger someone to want to drink, that's what it's designed to do. Posting here before you do though is wise.

ScottFromWI

That's not entirely true. There are definitely people with food addictions and there are plenty of recovery communities both live and online to help people who suffer from them.

But back to the main point...beer commercials are merely another temptation. If you see or hear one, you have to make a choice...several of them in fact. The beer commercial itself cannot drive you to the store to get alcohol, buy the alcohol for you, drive you home and open it and then lift it to your lips and force you to swallow it.

bluedog97

Why even post about it? Why even discuss it then? If you see a beer commercial or anything else, just choose not to drink. It's so simple. Problem solved. AA and everyone else had it wrong the whole time, SR has figured it out. Everyone can go home now.

ScottFromWI

You are entirely missing my point. We are here exactly for that reason...to post and discuss and learn. And to discuss how we make choices when temptation presents itself, because there will always be temptation.

FBL

Those commercials used to bother me in early sobriety. As the sober years have gone by, I don't even notice them any more.

Dee74

I needed support to, firstly, realise I had other choices than to drink....and then I needed support to make them.

Thats what we do here

I know you've been having a rough weekend but don't shoot the messenger BD - we're all on the same team

D