scottynz

Thank you everyone who responded to my first message. I cannot tell you how much it means to be able to be completely honest about my drinking which has been my dark secret for so long. To be met with support and not judgement is an amazing feeling. I also feel like I have a ton of questions, but don’t want to bombard the boards.

I am curious, what DO you drink instead of alcohol especially socially? I don’t like soda or juice, I’ve never enjoyed sweet drinks, so even diet sodas are not pleasant for me. I know this probably sounds like a petty problem this early into sobriety, but it does help with temptation to have a glass of a non alcoholic drink I enjoy other than water. Water is fine at home, but not enough when with friends if that makes sense?,

EliL

Sparkling water with couple of pieces of lime love it.

Rodney18

Coffee is my alcohol replacement so far

biminiblue

All I ever drink is coffee, tea, or water with or without lemon.

Solarion

Here's a thought: Most of us have gotten into trouble through the pursuit of enjoyment through drinking. So maybe it would be better to undermine the template of drinking = enjoyment, and get comfortable with the idea of drinking = staying healthily hydrated.

My cat seems to think water is just fine. As for me, I like strong iced tea with two teaspoons of sugar -- which, I'll admit, I enjoy.

Congratulations for making a start, and wishing you a healthy sobriety!

least

Coffee and orange juice are my favorites.

sfrn1968

coffee here too. Although I've had gastritis for at least 2 years due to my drinking, so coffee not actually best choice....but better than booze

doggonecarl

If you are talking about social situations where alcohol in one's hand is the norm, or expected, then you might want to reconsider the social events you attend...at least early in your recovery. As you grow stronger in sobriety, you won't be uncomfortable being around it, or uncomfortable being a non-drinker among drinkers. But for me, that took a little time.

tekink

Soda water or water.

Vivie

Unsweetened fruit juice spritzers (50/50 juice/water)
Tonic water and lime
Ice tea
All kinds of tea and coffee
Hot chocolate
I might add milk shakes in summer
Oh, I had a Coke today, something I haven’t touched in a long time
Choices are endless and you can drink as much as you want!

DontRemember

Depends on the social setting. If I'm at a bar with friends I drink cranberry/tonic water or water/lemon. If I'm having lunch with clients I stick with water/lemon. Parties at my house is normally OJ w/ splash of tonic. In my line of work I need to sometimes appear to be drinking, as sad as that sounds.

Readygo

I love Dr Pepper. It gives me just enough caffeine and curbs the sweet cravings. Licorice teas are soothing at night and sparkling waters are good 😊

August252015

Plenty of coffee in the morning- we have lots of Kuerig on hand
WAter- lots of water, and through the day bc I always need something on hand, and because I do hot yog 5-6 times a week
Diet Ginger Ale- lots
Club soda with lime- all day at work and when out in social situations
Occasional Diet Coke at lunch out in a restaurant
I always have at least one, probably two, drinks on hand

LBrain

coffee in the mornings - a full pot, unless I don't feel like making coffee then I drink a couple glasses of water in morning, or some OJ, or POM - cut with water.
Most of the entire day I drink water, at gatherings I drink water or St Pauli NA. Watching football sometimes St Pauli NA - wife likes it too.

But mostly water a lot. I will watch a movie at home and drink several waters through the evening.

Don't drink soda or HFCS at all, or rarely if out and about far from home and I don't have a bottle of water in car. Usually keep a couple waters in car.

NoahJ

Seltzer!

I take it to the beach, put it in a yeti coozie, and no one knows the difference!

When out to eat - ginger ale in a rocks glass with a lime.

I live in a small town. I’m not afraid if people know I’m sober now, but you know how people talk. So I do keep up a pretense.

rascalwhiteoak

Coffee, water, and sometimes flavored seltzers like La Croix. At parties I do soda in a plastic cup (if it's a plastic cup-type affair). Those who know I'm sober know it's just soda, and those who don't never think to ask.

Canuckleman45

Other than coffee or tea...... I love to ge a big glass, fill it with ice. toss in a few lime slices, then fill it with club soda. THEN! lol. take something to beat up the lime slices so you can add more lime slices. Basically make 1 drink with 1 lime. so good.

Gottalife

These days I drink more water than anything. At social functions I often drink nothing at all. I don't like standing around holding a glass.

In early sobriety I drank ginger ale in a social setting. Unfortunately I suffered from alcoholic automatic elbow, and would end up tremendously bloated. An earlier post mentioned equating the act of drinking (anything) with having a good time, and I think that was true for me.

Somone started this club for alcoholics a while ago. I never went back after the first visit. There was a pool table and all the guys and girls standing around with a coke in their hands - just like a pub scene but without the alcohol.

Rar

In early sobriety I drank ginger ale in a social setting. Unfortunately I suffered from alcoholic automatic elbow, and would end up tremendously bloated. An earlier post mentioned equating the act of drinking (anything) with having a good time, and I think that was true for me.

This is me now. I am terribly bloated - likely from all the carbonation of diet cokes and seltzer. I also drink water and calming teas. For some reason, it makes me feel less anxious drinking something/

JJ991

In a social situation I like lime & soda, it isn't too sweet.