mcln

I'm on a ski trip right now. My skiing buddy has been drinking, but I packed non-alcoholic beer because I thought it would allow me to still sit down and enjoy one with him, while keeping me off booze. When I started drinking though, it felt too much like real beer even though it only had 0.5% and I couldn't finish it. I decided it was just too similar and I couldn't drink it. My next question: Is this what you would call a middle-circle activity?

Thanks,
Matt

tay-lyn

Hi Matt;
I don't know about middle-circle activity...BUT I do know that the last time I started drinking again was after nine months of sobriety and it was because I picked up a non-alcoholic cooler. I drank a few, got a teensey little buzz.....and that was enough to alter my thinking and make me lose control of myself. I picked up a drink within hours and drank again for another 3 miserable years.
So good idea on putting down the non-alcoholic beer!
Hope you're enjoying your trip!

Kit

Quite honestly, I'm not sure what a middle-circle activity is. I have drank non-alcoholic beer in the past and found it useful because it allowed me to look like I was having a drink, when I didn't want people asking me why I wasn't drinking. It also filled me up, which helped me to not want a real drink.

Welcome Matt!

Love, Kit

mike_mass

Not a good idea. Drink soda, tea, or coffee.

NOMOMERLOTMAMMA

Hi Matt,

I avoid the non-alcoholic beer. I'm afraid that it would trigger me. Please be careful.

Karen

Jersey Nonny

Been continuously sober over 28 years during which time I made a lot of AA meetings...never heard the expression. So, I looked it up on the blessed internet.

Quote:

Middle circle - Behaviours which are much less destructive and weaker in intensity. They cause us much less of a problem but tend to lead us back to the inner circle. You can also put behaviours about which you are unsure in this category.

This definition referred to "sexual addiction recovery", but I'm sure it can also be applied to alcohol addiction. Which would imply that use of so-called non-alcoholic beer would tend to lead us back to the real thing!

This topic comes up repeatedly...there are several threads listed at the bottom of this page...and, the general consensus among those who have and those who have not is, "Not a good idea."

Sportster

Oddly enough I find carbonated water to be quite refreshing and my drink of choice. It's not flat like plain bottled water and it doesn't announce to the world that you're an alcoholic like "tonic water and lime" does. Most good restaurants carry it as well as the super markets and convenience stores. Even if it's in the car and not cold, because it's got some fiz it is refreshing.

tay-lyn

I have never thought of anyone who doesn't drink as being an alcoholic. I don't think drinking soda water and lime...while others are having cocktails or beer shouts out 'drunk'. When I was drinking I always admired those who looked so composed while they drank non-alcoholic bevies. I wouldn't worry too much what people think about your not drinking....you could be wrong....maybe they think it is cool and wish they too could be like you!

eastcoastscott

Step 1 worked for me, I can't risk my life to near-beer, drinking grape juice in a wine glass etc....who would I be kidding?

paulmh

Middle circle eh? Nice term

To be avoided at all costs though!

CarolD

You made a smart move by not drinking the beer.
As you noted....there is a trace of alcohol in it.

As I am now a non drinker ...
I sick to no alcohol food and drinks.

Welcome to SR!

nogard

No non alkie drinks for this addict and I don't stand in bars and watch people drink either.

mcln

Thank you. I don't think I'll be drinking any NA beer anymore. It just felt too much like beer, and I felt like my mind was in the place where it was when I was drinking beer. And yes, the "middle circle" is an Sex AA thing which, for some reason, I figured also applied to AA, but it doesn't seem to.

Thanks everyone for the replies.
Matt

mcln

Thanks, it is from SAA - which is far more of a problem for me than alcohol, but realizing I was heading down the same road with alcohol, I decided it was best to stop drinking.
Thanks,
Matt

mikel60

Non -alcoholic beer is for non-alcoholics.
Mike

Rusty Zipper

mcln... aint that also called Neer Beer?

hope ya aint looking for neer recovery!

rz

f911

All I know is if there were a non-alcoholic scotch, I wouldn't go near it.

jane

Jersey Nonny

Since I rarely drank for "the taste" (except for Brandy Alexander, which tasted like an ice-cream soda), the effect given by these non-alcoholic drinks wouldn't be worth the effort...it would take way too many to get a buzz on.

freedom45

I to had a near beer on July 1st Canada Day! I have been sober almost 6 months now and I have never felt better in my whole life. I talked to a friend of mine in the program and he told me that basically its a no no to drink near beer. My father was sober for 27 years and he on occasion drank .5 beer so in my mind I thought it was ok. After a thinking long and hard about drinking
.5 beer it could be slippery territory. Today I know I never want to feel the effects of alcohol and go back to the hell that booze causes. I was even considering changing my clean day because of the near beer but my friend didn't think that was a good idea either. I also joked with him that I was just putting a six pack of .5's in the freezer to take to my AA meeting and laughed about it, thinking what would all the AA friends think when I showed up with a six pack of cold ones and not Timmys coffee! I don't have a problem letting anyone know that I am sober and loving it and the reason for me having a .5 was not to fit in, simply that I like the taste of beer lol. So I guess the bottom line is that .5 is not a good idea and I will stay away from it
and stick to my cranberry and soda. I am not changing my clean date either because I have wicked sobriety right now and my date will stay the same for the rest of my life one day at a time!

Next time anyone wants to have a .5 beer think about how your fellow AA members would look at you showing up with a .5 instead of Timmys coffee.
Funny hey if you think about it!

HeavyJ

Devil's advocate here... I drink non-alcoholic beer, I don't get drunk, I don't hide the fact that I'm an alcoholic. I do not feel the effects of the .5 alcohol. I'd probably have to drink 50 or 60 gallons of it to feel anything. I have conqured the whisky and I feel great about it.

Am I fooling myself??

Heavy