Silence12

I got the idea for this thread from reading Prodigy's thread "Beer in the fridge".

Now, I am lucky in that I only live with one other person and they very rarely drink, or at least if they do it would be bought for that particular occasion, so this is unlikely to ever be an issue for me. But, I wondered what the general consensus was on this. I was, in a way, pleased by the replies in that thread - I was expecting a lot of people to start complaining at the friend who had left the beer in the fridge and how inconsiderate of them it was. Instead, the majority opinion was that alcohol can be viewed as insignificant and something which the sober person does not drink any more.

I know that a lot of this will be based on time sober - it must be easier over time to resist than if you are new to sobriety - and I can also see how much of a confidence boost it must be to know that something is there and you can not drink it, but is it not at the same time going to be dicing with death?

I suppose it's all down to opinion really.

Someguy23

This is pretty funny, I currently have more alcohol in the house than ever.

I have always kept a bottle of good brandy around for when I have company. I'll continue keeping one, never even dipped into it when I didn't have company.

I've also moved recently and received almost nothing but bottles of liqueurs and hard liquor as housewarming gifts. I'm keeping them until I have a chance to re-gift them, just have to remember who gave me what.

In general, my ability to keep alcohol in the house depends a lot on what kind of alcohol it is. I can keep wine and most hard liquor as long as I want, but beer and vodka disappear whithin days (or hours) of being placed in the fridge on account of this brownie with a serious drinking problem that lives under the stairs

MrsKing

I replied in that thread about how I now no longer view alcohol as something to drink. It's just there, something that others have but I don't. I completely forget that it's there, until for some reason I have to move it or whatever. And even then, unless I'm in a mood where it'll spring to mind, I'll not even consider its significance. I've been sober 4 months and I think this has happened over the last month or six weeks, but I'm not entirely sure. I can't really remember a time when I saw alcohol and thought about drinking it, and because I absolutely love that I am that person now, I don't really want to think about the times when it tempted me! For me it was never dicing with death... I've had alcohol in my house ever since I quit - I guess I managed to convince myself even at the beginning that it was no longer for me. I think it all just depends on the individual. I gave up smoking 5 days ago and my husband still smokes... I know where the cigarettes are and I could go and smoke one, but I've quit, and so I won't be doing that. Now or never.

I would never think it inconsiderate that my husband had beer in the fridge or whatever alcohol he chose to have around, nor would I think it inconsiderate if my friends brought alcohol to the house to drink - at the beginning I had more chatter from my AV and it was less of a comfortable situation for me... but inconsiderate of them? No. Temptation is EVERYWHERE and I've always known that if I want to be sober then I have to accept that and stare temptation in the face and be the one with power. My friends and my husband, who drink completely normally, should not have to change the way they drink to accommodate me. That's my thinking, anyway!

freshstart57

The day I quit drinking, there was whole bunch of housecleaning that happened. The first to go was a nearly full handle (1.75 l) of Smirnoff, and I watched that glug glug glug down the toilet. I liked the symbolism there, the image and the action was theraputic. Next, all the empties went back. There were empty vodka, beer, wine, scotch bottles, about $50 worth. A half dozen bottles of wine also disappeared, I don't know where, and I didn't ask. I found that helpful, there was a commitment made, and my family was witness.

It took some time for me to get comfortable with wine in the house again, and I started slowly, and only after six months or so of absolute sobriety, and exposure to back yard cookouts, family get togethers, office functions, and so on.

But that is just me. There are folks here that maintain alcohol free homes, down to mouthwash, vanilla extract, and even skin preparations that you could not drink anyway. They wouldn't dream of being served a beercan chicken meal, even at someone else's home. The rigor would put the WCTU to shame.

So, it will be up to you, Silence. How do you view your sobriety?

Anna

I don't think that we can expect other people to stop drinking because we are. Alcoholism is ours to deal with. On the other hand, I think that it would be respectful of a partner or spouse to not drink in front of someone who is an alcholic.

For me, we don't ever have alcohol in the house and we never serve alcohol in the house, and for that I'm grateful.

2granddaughters

Our house is an alcohol free zone. As the Lord's Prayer says "Lead us not into temptation".

I have no problem with visitors bringing their beer/wine etc with them when they come for supper but they take the leftovers and empties with them when they leave.

I am not "cured" of my alcoholism and treat booze with the same respect as rat poison. I would no sooner have alcohol at hand as play Russian Roulette. YMMV

All the best.

Bob R

jobei

Get rid of it!

heath480

Early in sobriety my home was Alcohol free,no way would I have trusted myself if it was available.
.
Nowadays there is sometimes beer in the house,my adult son sometimes has some,no problem for me with that.

Db1105

My wife is a scocial drinker. She has a couple of bottles of wine in the pantry. They've been there a while. If we have a party, she buys the booze and someone is sent home with the leftovers.

silly

We have wine and cheap beer. That's fine. But my current rule is NO hard stuff!

mecanix

Seems to me there is a whole supermarket shelf of alcohol about 1 min walk from where i live and about 5 pubs/bars within 5 .. I think my mum might have some wine around somewhere i don't much care about the proximity of it, my sobriety seems more about where my head is in relation to it.

I'd probally not keep some on the bed side table (like i used to) and i'd probally not own any, what would the point be ? as afterall i don't buy or keep cigarettes just incase my smoker friends come round. If i get given it i just stick it in the shed and give it away whenever it seems apropriate .

I'm a recovering alcoholic, i don't drink . I'm a recovering smoker, i don't smoke . I'm not scared of either of those toxins only the hold i have let them have over me and my life when ingesting them .

M

Silence12

Like I said, I was just curious to see people's opinions on the subject. I personally don't keep any alcohol in the house. I'm still very early in recovery though, maybe that will change over time. I do like the idea of having some wine/whisky in for guests, but I would have to be completely at ease with myself for that to arise.

If anything, I was impressed by posters like MrsKing who said that others shouldn't have to accommodate themselves. That I agree with. As much as I do want to be sober, I would hate for others to feel they had to walk on eggshells around me and do as they think I want them to do.

I think it's down to individual's preferences at the end of the day. The important thing is that you don't lead yourself in to temptation.

MetalChick

At 8 weeks I am still no way near the point of being able to be alone in the house with any alcohol. The 24/7 temptation is too much. I was a beer drunk, but any booze would do. The sad, sad thing is when I read the post about vanilla extract, I had to toss mine out so I wouldn't drink it. I also tossed any cough gels and syrup that were just DXM. I also tossed my BF's ancient collector can of Heineken from like 1999 (asked first). Yep, I will stoop extremely low. I am encouraged to know it gets better and lucky that my BF, who lives with me, doesn't drink.

Zee

I don't mind that much having alcohol in the house. Although I'd rather it wasn't, I'm not going to stop anyone else drinking. Its my fault I pickled my own liver! If other people want to drink toxic toilet cleaner (thats how I see alcohol now!) thats up to them!

Misguided

I have to agree with this whole-heartedly. WE are the ones with the problem. I am lucky enough to have a bf who quit for almost the entire first year until I was comfortable around it. I had a very hard time even smelling it on his breath or when it was working through his pores - and that was even if he had only 1 drink. I finally realized that he wasn't the one with the problem, and I couldn't expect him to never drink because of me not being able to control myself.

Now there is alcohol in my house - usually stuff I'd never drink even if I did drink but I'm not tempted. My wanting a drink now only come up when I have my personal triggers which are usually when I get stressed at work but by the time I get home, I'm over it.

In the beginning, though, it was very challenging for me to be around people when they drank, and I lived alone so having bottles was not an option because I probably would have given in more than once when bored or out of habit (i.e. when cleaning house).

IndaMiricale

Ditto there. I just dont need the risk of it being there. The one thing I know about this alcoholic is that I cant trust my own thinking, So why risk it.

jennikate

No alcohol in the house for me. Once in a great while, my husband brings home a couple of beers. Doesn't bother me in the least. But then again, I hate beer. No cough medicine, mouthwash, vanilla, etc either. Been there, done that...sad to say. Seeing it hasn't as of yet made me crave alcohol but I try not to tempt fate.

hypochondriac

I have had alcohol in the house since I quit too, but nothing I'd actually be tempted to drink. I didn't chuck it because I forgot at the time, and then I thought I'd keep it for a friend who would drink it when they come over. It is cheap whisky and I would only ever touch the stuff after a skinful of beer.

Beer is another story though. I had family drinking at my house in early sobriety. They kindly took the beer they didn't drink but I was still p;ssed off that I had to dispose of the empties. Too many memories!

I am wondering what to do if I ever have company over though. Normally I would get a load of booze in. But now I really don't feel like I should be buying beer for friends before they get here... I was thinking maybe I would wait til they arrive and then ask them what they want to drink. For better or worse I have a bargain booze round the corner from my house!

Basically, I won't be keeping a stock of booze in for guests, but if they want to drink here that's fine...as long as they clean up after themselves

aeo1313

We have alcohol in the house. Wine hanging in the rack, beer in the fridge, booze in the cabinet. Doesn't bother or tempt me, but then i rarely drank at home when I drank anyway.

Mark75

I don't go out of my way to keep alcohol in the house, but neither do I go out of my way to keep it out.

I am neutral on the whole thing... Empty coke can, beer bottle, whatever... It goes in the recycling bin.