stupid question
 

What's the deal with mouth wash? I know it has a high alcohol content but do they really drink it? I always assumed it was a way to cover up the alcohol smell or trick the breathalyzer. I noticed my AH had 2 huge bottles with him when he stayed at his dad's. Of course he also had a huge bottle of vodka on his nightstand so I don't think it was a substitute. Just being naive I guess.

Yes, some people drink it.

Depending on how desperate they are for alcohol, yes, some people will drink it. Usually when a person has progressed to that point, they are in pretty deep.

Some people do drink the mouthwash, some use it as an "excuse" for why they blow a breathalyzer, some do it to mask the smell, and SOME people hide plain ol' booze in the bottles.

Incidentally, some alcoholics in recovery feel strongly that they shouldn't use mouthwash with alcohol. I've never had a problem with it, myself, but it's an individual decision. I think it's pretty clear if you've ever used it as a beverage, you're better off staying away from it.

My STBXAH used it to hide the alcohol smell. I know he didn't drink it because it was non-alcoholic mouthwash but he swigged it and ate altoids constantly. It did no good because his skin still smelled like booze but I think he thought it helped him.

Yes, people drink it. It packs a punch.

I know with XABF, one of his inhaler medications always required him to rinse with mouthwash, to reduce the chance of the "extra dry mouth / very sore throat" side effect that came with it.
He'd always use the mouthwash with alcohol, simply because it was cheaper. (His mother picked it out and bought it for him.)
I could always tell for sure when he'd had way too much to drink the night before, though, because he'd literally gag on the mouthwash, and have a really hard time gargling with it after using his inhaler. He'd gag on his whiskey in the mornings afterwards, too, although somehow he had a bigger reaction to the mouthwash. So yes, I'd imagine it can really pack a punch, if someone is desperate enough to go that route.


XABF wasn't at the point where he'd drink the mouthwash. (Still, after rehab, I replaced his alcoholic mouthwash, his mother hid her extracts, and his sister gave his giant collection of cologne to her son. I suspect he's angriest about the cologne, since prior to this he never left the house without wearing some.) He also never touched my bottles of extract, or the cooking wine. He stuck to his cheap whiskey, so I suppose in the scheme of things, he hadn't progressed as far as many.
He progressed way too far for my tastes, though. Part of how he earned that "X".

:yuck:

Just thinking about drinking mouthwash makes me queasy. I can't even tolerate liquid Nyquil.

The RAH kept some in the car, along with breath mints. I don't think he drank it as much as attempted to cover his alcohol breath.

That's why my AXH always wanted the BROWN Listerine. You can replace it with whiskey and it looks the same.

Take a look at this thread.

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...rtificate.html

When AH was in rehab mouthwash was not permitted and if they found you with it they would throw you out and yes it is substituted for alcohol at times my AH has a bottle of vodka right next to a large bottle of mouthwash right on our kitchen counter.

People drink anything.

There are areas where I live that have epidemic levels of alcoholism and the stores had shelves full of cans of Lysol. People poked holes in the can and poured the liquid out, mixed it with water, and drank it. Cheap, accessible, could buy it at any hour any day. :sad: It is very dangerous and I'm not sure if it is still a problem or not but I'd be surprised if it wasn't.

When I was locked up in a work release program, we were not allowed any mouthwash with alcohol in it, nor perfume with alcohol in it. Since we were only allowed to go to one store, we all wore the same brand of cheap perfume (though it did smell good) because it was the only one that didn't have alcohol in it.

I, personally, couldn't dream of drinking either, but then alcohol wasn't my "thing" (Crack was). I do know that when I was younger, we had a friend who was a recovering alcoholic and mom would leave the vanilla extract out of any recipes that called for it, if he were going to be eating it.

Hugs and prayers,

Amy

Yes, there are some who drink it, they drink anything with alcohol content.

The worst I've heard was disinfectant (I don't know the English name, it is blue and it has an enormously high alcohol content) mixed with painkillers and toothpaste (I guess for taste...). They laugh about it and call it "blue vodka"...:headbange:headbange