Bunny7

Hi all,
I'm 43 days into recovery, and slowly discovering ways to deal with triggers/cravings. One thing I'm really struggling with today in particular is just the smell of wine!
My partner is having a glass and I've found just the one whiff has set me off. He feels bad (even though its not his fault) & thrown it out, but I just wanted to know how people cope with the smell if it and being close to it in particular?
Considering alcohol is everywhere (home, workplace, social events) I can't avoid it forever... And while there are some people who are doing everything they can to help me, I cant tell every man & their dog not to have alcohol around me 24/7 as thats unfair for them. Any tips and tricks would be great.
Thanks!

Dee74

Hi Bunny

I think it's important to realise you're only 43 days in...give yourself so time to change

Alcohol - especially old stale alcohol - is not a particularly pleasant smell to me even now but it doesn't particularly bother me either.

I'm sure you'll get to that point too

D

ricmcc

Hi, Bunny, nice to hear that your recovery sounds like it is going well. I never really had that problem when quitting drinking, but I certainly did when quitting smoking. At least with smoking, in public places anyway, it has to be done outside (here, and most places, I believe) so I'm sort of guessing at solutions. What comes to mind is perhaps drinking a strongly flavoured bev yourself so as to not notice your partner's wine so much (curry flavoured smoothies? ). Maybe a very aromatic herbal tea, or something? At any rate, nice to meet you, and best of luck--surely someone will come up with better suggestions than what I have offered-----rick

Natom

You don't just up and change overnight. The physical cravings. Well they go pretty quickly. It's the psychological ones that take time to soften and hard work to get rid of. You can make a point of asking your partner to stop drinking around you for a while. Not forever, but just whilst you're in the early stages of recovery. I'm at the stage that if I am at social gathering alcohol doesn't bother me. I'm just over 9 months clean and sober. But every now and again I get the smell and taste of cocaine, which was my drug of choice, flood my senses. The only thing we can do is work through these. And try and actively stay away from the smell of alcohol for a while.

Natom.

FeelingGreat

Hi Bunny, I second the other in that 43 days is fairly early in your recovery and it maybe a bit soon to tempt yourself. I kept away from most occasions involving alcohol for several months. At this stage it's perfectly ok to ask your partner not to drink in front of you, or to leave the area. That's just common sense.
Funny thing is that although I stayed far enough away not to smell the wine, I would get caught by surprise seeing a display of wine glasses, or a table set with them. Time for the 5 deep breaths and walk away!
44 weeks in I don't have to be as vigilant, but I don't push my luck either.

mecanix

I think the drink through , by the time i've thought of all the chaos and destruction me and alcohol together can cause the craving has usually eneded , if not i carry on remembering all those days of hangovers .. all that resentment .. the missed life i could have lived .
Never again for me , to waste an oppertunity to live

Bestwishes, M

Sasha4

For me it changed and I 100% agree with Dee.
It's early for you and you need to go easy on yourself.

I used to watch people drinking and think I bet that cold beer tastes nice, especially as it is friday after work and it's hot. The smell was nice too for me.
Wine and champagne also smelt good.

Now though I feel physically sick when I walk down the booze isle at the supermarket.
When I look at the shelves rammed with cheap vodka at my local shop, I feel ill. I think to how it burnt my throat and smelled like nail polish remover.

Give it time.
Maybe ask your husband to breathe in you the next morning, pre teeth brushed, after wine. I am sure that will replace the association with wine smelling nice.

Xune

Ask your partner to limit or stop completely the times they drink alcohol around you.

Dab a little vicks Vapour rub under your nose, you'll not smell any booze after that.

Anna

You don't need to avoid it forever, but I avoided people drinking alcohol for many months when I stopped drinking. I couldn't be around it. Do whatever you need to do to get through these early days.

hawkeyefan

Hi Bunny! I felt the same way. My drink of choice was vodka straight (yuk) and early on when I would smell hand sanitizers it was a trigger...I got rid of all of it in my house. Eventually the smell made me nauseous and I hope it stays that way. Good Luck!

lovinmenow

Think about all those times you puked it back out! Probably smelled pretty nasty then.

renaldo

Hi Bunny7,

I don't have a problem with the smell of alcohol, but I sure do with the reeking smell of pot day and night in my household. I have no regrets about my pot smoking and pot growing days, but walking in the door and immediately being accosted by the stench of a dead skunk is really annoying.

In no way does it entice me to smoke pot again.

Coldfusion

If it was so easy for your partner to throw the wine away, he/she should not mind quitting also. In my experience, it has to be a joint effort--my wife and I are sober 100 days today (yay!).

Bunny7

Thanks all I will perhaps start dabbing a bit of perfume near my nose haha.I'm definitely not in the mindset currently to be around large groups of people drinking & am currently avoiding those kinds of situations so I don't get tempted, but its very hard to walk out of the office during Friday drinks & quit frankly I don't think it's right for me to be telling my family and partner to not drink again when they've been so supportive of my decision. I will have a chat to him & ask him not to have it near me.
Thanks!!