Tendencies

Since I quit 7 months ago I have not had any booze where I live. Or smokes as I quit that too. For me the temptation was always too great. Part of my issue though was I felt that I could never quit as I had to finish that last bottle of wine. Or that last bottle of scotch..but once I got my buzz on I needed more so I would drive to the liquor store half cut and start again.

So no...no booze in the house for me.

LexieCat

Whether to keep alcohol in the house is a very personal decision. I think, in general, it's best not to have it too handy in early sobriety. Very early on, it's easy to have moments when we are more vulnerable to picking up a drink when we feel we should, must, "deserve" it, whatever. I think having a few obstacles isn't a bad idea, if only to give yourself time to think, to call someone, to post here about it.

I poured out every drop of booze in the house the day before I had my last drink (except for the drinks I had measured and planned for the last day of my home taper/detox). If I were to feel that I wanted to drink, I would, at minimum, have to find my keys, get into the car, and drive to the liquor store. Not just step down to a cabinet, pull, twist, pour, and swallow.

Of course, if I were really determined to drink, it wouldn't prevent me from doing it. But it did reduce the possibility of giving in to a momentary impulse.

coffeenut

My husband drinks, so yes, there is alcohol in the house.

Took a long time to be 'okay' with that fact.

LosingmyMisery

I don't drink so I don't keep booze in the house. Much like I don't keep dog food around since I don't own a dog. I know I will never be tempted by the dog food. The booze may be more tempting since I am an alcoholic. Makes sense to me...

Zebra1275

We don't keep alcohol in our house.

Jfanagle

I have always kept wine as the women I date are wine drinkers. I also keep Drano, I don't drink either one, they are both poison for me.

PS. None of the women drink the Drano.

No recommendations for anyone else, just has never been a problem for me. No Whiskey however, that would be a step too far.

Jon

defyinggravity

I have wine, too, for company. I don't keep my drinks of choice, beer or vodka. I hate wine, never drank it. Not even at my most desperate.

LaFemme

Since getting sober I am like Carol living my life clutter free....I have thrown out everything that is broken, stained or ugly...I have brought bags to good will. Why clutter my Life with a bottle of something that I associate with the worst time of my life?

That said...when my parents come for dinner I have gotten a bottle of wine to serve them...it doesn't bother me except that I dislike spending money on it.

As to whether or not you are an alcoholic...who cares?...is your life better since quitting? If the answer is "yes" then stay quit

CherryD

No

If my husband wants some he'll buy a single can and bring it home just for himself. But there is never more alcohol than that.

invisibledrunk

I just got a huge laugh out of the drano thing hahah, I hope they're not ever drinking the drano!!!

In any case, I guess its a sensitive issue.. Just wanted to see who all is keeping it around. Ill feed it to friends until it's gone but don't have plans to replace it.
On day 18 now, feel great minus the terrible rancid gas these new herbal suppliments I'm taking create.

least

I was the only drinker in my home and did almost all of my drinking at home alone, so no, I don't keep alcohol in my house. I even gave away my corkscrew!

bellakeller

My husband keeps a wine cellar downstairs but wine is not my primary calling. He keeps his spirits in the car. Unfortunately I used to "visit" the liquor on occasion back when I was only dabbling in recovery (I'd wave to it, stick my tongue out at it and eventually drank it) but now I stay out of his car. I have no business being in there anyway.

Periodically he asks if we need to change anything. So far I haven't felt the need to but I am fully prepared to make changes if that situation becomes unacceptable.

Terminally Unique

I have alcohol in the house, but I didn't really have a choice in the matter - it isn't mine. I suspect that if I did have a choice, I would not have it around.

Not sure I would recommend keeping it around - you can always buy some for guests as needed, but it certainly does provide lots of "practice" at not drinking. :-)

spqr

There was never any chance of booze not being finished off when I was drinking. Even the flat half cans of beer from the night before got drunk.

If it were me, i'd pour it out. The more effort you can put between you and alcohol the better. If you have to walk up the shop to get booze, you might think about why you're doing that on the way.

bexxed

This is an interesting post for me to read, too... since I'm on the 5th day, and I live alone. After reading everyone's responses, I did dump the opened wine in the cabinet. The unopened stuff was a gift that is truly nothing I'd ever want (sweet and gross) and I think I will just go ahead and wait til I see someone who wants it. Dumping it out was interesting. I've never done that before. My pretty visceral reaction to it- the smell, etc- kind of shows how far I'm backed up to the wall with this. I dumped a 6 day old opened bottle of cheap red wine down the drain and inside it hurt a little. Um. Whoa.

MsJax

I do not keep alcohol in my home. When I have a gathering, if someone brings alcohol that is ok, but if there is even a drop left over it is poured down the drain. I know myself well and just feel much 'cleaner' not even having it in the house. It also helps (for me) that I live alone.

endlesspatience

I have thrown out all the booze. I am also going to have to address the glasses in the kitchen. Most of them are very boozy looking, some with names of beer brands written on them. I am going to go shopping and choose glasses that are not really associated with alcoholic drinks and use those to replace the existing ones.

TotallyOverIt

I never had wine left over so no need to throw it out! I got rid of wine glasses and martini glasses as soon as I decided I needed to stop drinking as they looked very pretty and tempting.

ozgoddess

I totally had in my mind how I was going to respond to this only to find that Dee took the words out of my mouth (in both his posts) :rotfxko

I also relate to Least. I was the only drinker in the house, it makes sense that it no longer lives here.

The moments of cravings pass, keeping it in the house IMO means that you are putting temptation in the way. The thought processes you would go through on the way to the bottle shop gives plenty of opportunity for thought intervention.

Yes, we are faced with alcohol everywhere in society. We are also faced with many other undesirable elements that I don't invite in my house either

For what it is worth, I will always suggest getting rid of the alcohol. I don't feel it serves a purpose to white knuckle ride recovery.

Mark75

My wife drinks a glass of wine each night and has some sherry for cooking and a licquor around for cakes and such... Not a problem now. My son is home from college, and where do you think he got his taste in beer ... LOL ... So I have a bottle or two of my old favorite beer around... But when he's gone I want it gone too...

I can be around it, now... It was hard at first... I don't need to have it nearby so I can test my resolve, I have none, I relinquished it....