Day 7 or is it??0
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 230
Day 7 or is it??0
The most difficult day yet for me. Concentration poor feeling stressed. Mid week has always been a drinking time for me.
Went for lunch in work found myself walking down the beer aisle and ended up buying 15 bottles of alcohol free becks blue beer.
Colleagues seem to be goading me me saying things like ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO STOP DRINKING? I HOPE YOUR NIT GOING TO GI OFF ON A BENDER!
The first question I said well maybe I will have a drink on holiday. Oh I need to stay sober at least a couple of months (yesterday it was a cast iron 12 months!)
Got home had a couple of the alcohol free beers and discovered a change in my brain similar to the real thing which led me to believe there was alcohol in the product. The label said no more than 0.05 alcohol?
Can I still claim to be alcohol free? I have 9 bottles left What shall I do drink them or throw them away.
i have been emotionally unstable nearly my whole life. Frustrated and silly moods seem when I am most at risk!
Advise please.
Went for lunch in work found myself walking down the beer aisle and ended up buying 15 bottles of alcohol free becks blue beer.
Colleagues seem to be goading me me saying things like ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO STOP DRINKING? I HOPE YOUR NIT GOING TO GI OFF ON A BENDER!
The first question I said well maybe I will have a drink on holiday. Oh I need to stay sober at least a couple of months (yesterday it was a cast iron 12 months!)
Got home had a couple of the alcohol free beers and discovered a change in my brain similar to the real thing which led me to believe there was alcohol in the product. The label said no more than 0.05 alcohol?
Can I still claim to be alcohol free? I have 9 bottles left What shall I do drink them or throw them away.
i have been emotionally unstable nearly my whole life. Frustrated and silly moods seem when I am most at risk!
Advise please.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 221
It's probably the placebo effect but I still think you can claim to be alcohol free.
Opinions are mixed on non alcoholic beer. Many people say to avoid as it can be a gateway to the real thing although for some it's helpful as a substitute. Personally I never drank because I liked the taste of any type of alcohol - I drank to get drunk so I would rather have a tonic water or a nice soda. Although I still drink my soda out a gin/wine glass so there's still that element to it...
Opinions are mixed on non alcoholic beer. Many people say to avoid as it can be a gateway to the real thing although for some it's helpful as a substitute. Personally I never drank because I liked the taste of any type of alcohol - I drank to get drunk so I would rather have a tonic water or a nice soda. Although I still drink my soda out a gin/wine glass so there's still that element to it...
Member
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 110
Well done on 7 days! I personally don't see it as breaking your sobriety by having non alcohol substitutes. Having said that, if they are in any way making you crave the real thing then pour them away in my opinion. Hope you're okay 
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,416
I don't drink NA beer largely because of that unsettling effect you mention.
Opinions will vary on whether you drank or not, whether you need to reset souts or not.
I say listen to your gut - you're the one who has to live with your decision, whatever it is.
Count or not, I think it's even more important you look at your commitment to total permanent abstinence - if you feel it's wavering, even slightly - what are you going to do about it? Be proactive
D
Opinions will vary on whether you drank or not, whether you need to reset souts or not.
I say listen to your gut - you're the one who has to live with your decision, whatever it is.
Count or not, I think it's even more important you look at your commitment to total permanent abstinence - if you feel it's wavering, even slightly - what are you going to do about it? Be proactive
D
Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: New England
Posts: 1,224
Personally I am not against NA beer as long as it doesn't mimic our alcoholic behaviors. I was not much of a beer drinker but certain times I just want a beer. Usually after a hard days work in the yard. A NA beer in a cold glass was enjoyable. But that was it. I don't crave the booze and one would do it. In fact, I don't buy it at all through the winter because it's just those specific times I enjoy it. It does not mimic my alcohol behavior in the least.
That being said, buying 15 NA beers is troubling. Pounding NA beers at the same rate as normal beers is not changing our behavior and it won't be long that it will not be a good enough substitute for the real thing.
Try going for a brisk walk after work to fight off stress. Change the patterns that kept you drinking in the past.
That being said, buying 15 NA beers is troubling. Pounding NA beers at the same rate as normal beers is not changing our behavior and it won't be long that it will not be a good enough substitute for the real thing.
Try going for a brisk walk after work to fight off stress. Change the patterns that kept you drinking in the past.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: South Africa
Posts: 1,536
Hi Stable, my 2 cents worth is that you can still consider yourself sober. I have been having N/A beer occasionally for quite some time, but I’m conscious to avoid resemblance with my previous disastrous drinking behavior, so if I do I never have more than one.
I think this is exactly what Finalround is saying as well.
I think this is exactly what Finalround is saying as well.
Guest
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
What Dee said especially - and the most important part is what your commitment is to sobriety. I'm of the school that NA drinks aren't a good idea for plenty of us - especially at the very start.
How about committing to a recovery program, AA, or using SR or any of the other methods folks here can tell you about? And it needs to be for you - it can be hard, but tuning out - ideally, not being around, even- anyone who questions/challenges/"teases" you and such is a bad idea.
Hope you choose sobriety and stay here with us. The Class of Mar 2019 thread under Newcomers is a great one to get into as it has others starting their journey to recovery this month.
How about committing to a recovery program, AA, or using SR or any of the other methods folks here can tell you about? And it needs to be for you - it can be hard, but tuning out - ideally, not being around, even- anyone who questions/challenges/"teases" you and such is a bad idea.
Hope you choose sobriety and stay here with us. The Class of Mar 2019 thread under Newcomers is a great one to get into as it has others starting their journey to recovery this month.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: UK
Posts: 3,513
Originally Posted by Stable 
The most difficult day yet for me. Concentration poor feeling stressed. Mid week has always been a drinking time for me.
Went for lunch in work found myself walking down the beer aisle and ended up buying 15 bottles of alcohol free becks blue beer.
Colleagues seem to be goading me me saying things like ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO STOP DRINKING? I HOPE YOUR NIT GOING TO GI OFF ON A BENDER!
The first question I said well maybe I will have a drink on holiday. Oh I need to stay sober at least a couple of months (yesterday it was a cast iron 12 months!)
Got home had a couple of the alcohol free beers and discovered a change in my brain similar to the real thing which led me to believe there was alcohol in the product. The label said no more than 0.05 alcohol?
Can I still claim to be alcohol free? I have 9 bottles left What shall I do drink them or throw them away.
i have been emotionally unstable nearly my whole life. Frustrated and silly moods seem when I am most at risk!
Advise please.
Went for lunch in work found myself walking down the beer aisle and ended up buying 15 bottles of alcohol free becks blue beer.
Colleagues seem to be goading me me saying things like ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO STOP DRINKING? I HOPE YOUR NIT GOING TO GI OFF ON A BENDER!
The first question I said well maybe I will have a drink on holiday. Oh I need to stay sober at least a couple of months (yesterday it was a cast iron 12 months!)
Got home had a couple of the alcohol free beers and discovered a change in my brain similar to the real thing which led me to believe there was alcohol in the product. The label said no more than 0.05 alcohol?
Can I still claim to be alcohol free? I have 9 bottles left What shall I do drink them or throw them away.
i have been emotionally unstable nearly my whole life. Frustrated and silly moods seem when I am most at risk!
Advise please.
No Dogma Please
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: SoCal
Posts: 2,562
I bought two six packs of NA beer from a microbrewery. It's really good beer, one stout and one golden ale. It's also .5%, so each one is about a tenth of an American light beer. I drink 1 or 2 max when I'm eating Asian food, but find that I don't even really want it then anymore. A pregnant friend who's a total beer lover had NA beer and I drank half of one while hanging out. I didn't like it, I kept thinking I needed to stop because I had to drive.
I also wouldn't have done so in early sobriety.
If you drank 6 of them in one sitting you're approaching a full beer. I'm drinking my very occasional beer for flavor with food, I'm not pounding them. To me that's a huge red flag.
I also wouldn't have done so in early sobriety.
If you drank 6 of them in one sitting you're approaching a full beer. I'm drinking my very occasional beer for flavor with food, I'm not pounding them. To me that's a huge red flag.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 1,327
Originally Posted by MindfulMan
If you drank 6 of them in one sitting you're approaching a full beer.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 513
I sometimes use wine when cooking some gravies and pasta sauces. I'm not going to reset my sobriety clock each time I make bolognese.
I would however, completely avoid doing this if it in any way triggered a desire to drink alcohol. I wouldn't advise buying NA beer if the intention was to simulate drinking, as eventually you will want the real thing.
Is your plan long term sobriety or is this a temporary thing for a couple of months?
I would however, completely avoid doing this if it in any way triggered a desire to drink alcohol. I wouldn't advise buying NA beer if the intention was to simulate drinking, as eventually you will want the real thing.
Is your plan long term sobriety or is this a temporary thing for a couple of months?
Guest
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,097
I buy 15 bottles of sparkling water but don't drink them all in one night.
As others have said it's replicating alcoholic behaviours.
I'd also reconsider telling everyone around me what is private business, It's your business you've stopped drinking. You don't need to announce it to the world or ask for their validation and approval or give people the opportunity to criticize etc.
As others have said it's replicating alcoholic behaviours.
I'd also reconsider telling everyone around me what is private business, It's your business you've stopped drinking. You don't need to announce it to the world or ask for their validation and approval or give people the opportunity to criticize etc.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Nashville, TN
Posts: 80
It's been quite some time, but over the years I used to drink a N/A beer when I was actively drinking, usually on a hot day because I enjoyed the beer flavor. Despite the .05% alcohol content, I always felt the effect of the alcohol, even though it was much lower than regular beer. Yes, it was subtle, but I definitely felt it.
I would not touch N/A beer in the early stages of recovery, just my opinion. Too much of a trigger.
I would not touch N/A beer in the early stages of recovery, just my opinion. Too much of a trigger.
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