Tboy1976

Seems to be quite a split out there on whether people agree with using alternatives like non alcoholic beer / wine or not ?

My dad is sober for about 25-30 years and drinks O'Douls like water - has never relapsed but I think it makes him feel comfortable in social situations like he's having a beer with the guys. Same thing with his brother whose sober for also close to 30 years or so ...... does the non alcoholic beer and never relapsed.

Thinking of using it as an alternative but have some apprehension that it has the potential to just drive me back to the real thing.

Thoughts ?

tomsteve

i used to smoke crack. i found an alternative- non crack crack.
Thinking of using it as an alternative.
thoughts?

i think ya already know the answer FOR YOU:
" but have some apprehension that it has the potential to just drive me back to the real thing. "

Chilledice

Personally speaking I wouldn't do it, too risky and besides there are plenty of soft drinks you can have which taste beautiful.

wehav2day

I thought it would be ok, but it led me back to the real thing. I thought I could cook with wine, I started to drink what I was cooking with.

After I was sober for a while, I didn't care to substitute. After I stopped caring, I was pretty safe.

Basically anything that triggers us to think of alcohol is not a very good idea. At a few days sober your mind is looking for ways to let alcohol back into your life. I wouldn't torture myself with na beer.

That may change when you have like a year sober. That's the mark where I felt I could trust my thinking, I'd gotten my mind back. In the meantime, I tried all kinds of beverages with no alcohol and discovered I like all kinds of stuff that is booze free. Why not try those? Fizzy water, flavored fizzy water, some weird soda you'd never seen before. There's a whole world of teas and herbal infusions out there I'd never noticed befor because I was always in the booze aisle...

August252015

Not something I do. Alcohol, period, and it's "trappings" (ie substitutes that imitate the real deal) are just not part of my life.

thomas11

I approach sobriety as a wholesale change of lifestyle, not simply the same life without the alcohol. So drinking something that mimics alcohol makes no sense to me. I'd rather have a healthy cold bottle of water. Just my 2 cents.

bunnezjp

If you like it, then go with it. If it starts feeling triggering, then back off.

~Bunnez

CRRHCC

My thought is that addictive behavior is a way of regaining control over feeling overwhelmed and helpless to specific circumstances important to you. We drink for a quick fix or mood changer that temporarily empowers us. Sounds like your dad has found a healthy mature way to empower himself with O'Douls! It's not really the O'Douls but his new thinking. Ask him about the specifics of it?

JD

It tastes like crap and isn't worth it. There's a lot of other non-alcoholic drinks I'd rather have. If you feel the need to drink something that looks like a drink to fit in go with club soda and a lime.

StartingOverNW

It hasn't worked out well for me. I wound up getting urges for the real thing. I know some people use it without a problem, but something I heard once in a meeting stuck with me - 'Non-alcoholic beer is for non-alcoholics'. That's basically my perspective on it now (for me personally).

ScottFromWI

It's a very common question and sometimes one with strong opinions on both sides t-boy. At the end of the day only you know your motivations for drinking it, and that should give you an idea of whether it's a good choice or not. I tried it and it led me back to regular beer in short order.

Delilah1

I contemplated non-alcoholic wine when I first got sober, but was afraid it would make me crave alcohol again.

I have varied my drinks over the past 20 months, I have been on a pelligrino with lots of ice, lime, and a little bit of sugar substitute for the past few months. I also like La Croix, Green tea, soda... lots of good choices.

Dee74

Hi Tboy

You won't find that much of a split here, especially when it comes to advising newly sober people.

This is a common question - I have a prepared response

PhoenixJ

I agree with the above. Support to you.

Mountainmanbob

I think better safe than sorry.
M-Bob

least

I tried NA wine once but didn't like it cause I didn't get a buzz. I stay away from it as it could lead me back to wanting the real thing. I've discovered the wonders of orange juice and that's good enough for me.

60andbeyond

My personal opinion is no. I tried this with sparkling cider a long time ago and it just lead me back to the real deal. Best for me, anyway, to completely avoid any kind of fake alcohol because it just made me long for the real thing.

Tboy1976

Good opinions here thanks - you guess why would I do it ? To fit in basically - to have that social aspect of being with the crew and cracking a few cans of suds without the effects of the alcohol and the fact that I just really like beer and especially craft beef - with there being a few (maybe 3) supposed "craft non-alcoholic IPA's" out there I would be interested to see if they are any good. Will think long and hard about this ......

HTown

the NA claushalter extra hopped ipa is excellent but hard to find. ipa taste all the way. i take it to football watching parties or I used to, I take soft drinks now instead.

Dee74

We all want to fit in - but if it comes at a cost, I think we need to re-think the idea.

My old life was all about drinking.

I trying staying sober in my old life always around drinkers and in bars and it didn't work...not for long anyway.

I built a new sober life - one that better reflects who I am now instead of who I used to be.

It's worked out great for me

D