Tom123

A family friend was happy to recieve some exclusive gin yesterday and was going round pouring everyone a gin and tonic. I was never goin to have one but I was asked if I wanted to smell it and ended up having a sniff. I must admit I felt something close to feeling tipsy after. I haven't drunk for over a year, does that count as a relapse? I regret doing it but I don't like to talk about not drinking so I it's just like i dont want to be weird

dafunbra

I wouldn't consider sniffing the drink to be a relapse, but I also don't think I would make it a habit.

Tom123

thanks for your response

least

I wouldn't consider it a relapse, but I wouldn't make a habit of being around alcohol if it's tempting you.

D122y

Not a relapse.

When I was drinking I tried sniffing the fumes to get drunk. I even tried warming up the booze on the stove and sniffing it.

I am glad I didn't catch myself on fire. I also tried pouring a bit into a wine glass and swirling it up the sides to increase evaporation.

I did get a quick buzz, for about 1 minute, then I got a long headache.

I thought it might save the liver damage and get me high. But, I didn't know about the brain damage booze causes.

Sniffing it probably makes the damage worse.

Happy Holidays.

Sorry Trump, I am all about holiday equality.

Thanks.

Tom123

I appreciate your response.
It's tricky on christmas day though! But i hear you

Tom123

Thanks for your reply. Yes I remember a craze I reckon over a decade ago of setting fire to cocktails by the bartender, then inhaling them. 🙄

You reckon sniffing is worse or do you mean inhaling?

Dee74

I wouldn't call it a relapse either but I 'd be a little concerned.

Sniffing drinks was on my things...I'd sniff...then eventually I'd sip...and then it was back to the bad old days.

Honestly I thinking sniffing drinks is a lot weirder than not sniffing them, Tom.

D

PurpleKnight

The reality is we can't avoid being around alcohol ever again . . . it's going to happen and so we will come into the realm of smelling it . . . but that's far from drinking it.

But as mentioned intentionally having a sniff . . . you want to ensure that door is firmly closed!!

MissPerfumado

I wouldn't count it as a relapse by any means.

I was at a restaurant recently and my bf ordered a gin & tonic. The waiter was talking up the gin. Apparently pink gin is having a moment and she really wanted us to know that. I'd already ordered my 'mocktail' but she asked bf to sniff from the bottle and then offered me a sniff. Because I didn't feel it necessary to make a fuss, I politely agreed.

It had no impact on me. She asked me if I liked gin, I said 'not particularly'. I really would have liked to tell her as a recovering alcoholic, gin is not my beverage of choice any more, but that would have been unnecessary and abrasive.

That was that. No-one said anything more. Life moves on.

Tom123

Good answer, sounds like a similiar experience.

Tom123

yes, i agree with both those sentiments

Tom123

Thanks tor your answer.
I hear what your saying.

MindfulMan

I'm trained as a sommelier, I was just at dinner with friends and they drank a few bottles of red over the course of the evening. I smelled them to see what was up and give my recommendation as to what would go with the meat and veggie lasagna.

I can tell a ton about a glass of wine without actually drinking it. It's still fun, I get to use my training, and oddly enough have little to no wish to actually sip it.

August252015

I'd think about the intent behind my choosing to smell a drink. For me, there's absolutely no reason- nor interest, to be frank- in doing it. I work in restaurants, now in an office capacity, but long in a serving one (pre and post drinking) and indifference to smells and sights had to be part of my deal. Even now, there are liquor inventories to count every delivery day, and often bottles of wine from a tasting the night before, or a half glass someone left in the office from the night before.

Early sobriety - I see your join date is this month? - is definitely not a time I was around alcohol, people drinking, or anything but environments that supported my decision for permanent sobriety.

16YearsDrunk

I've found an easy response that seems to do the trick. I just tell people "I don't drink alcohol. Can't stand the stuff".

BlownOne

I wouldn't count it as a relapse either, but I liked gin, so I wouldn't go sniffing it. I think a lot of this kind of stuff has to do with what your particular taste was. For instance, I don't care for wine at all, so when someone around me is drinking it and I can smell it, it does nothing. But I wouldn't want to spend an evening in close proximity to someone drinking something I liked that I could smell. Does that make any sense? lol

Fearlessat50

This is an interesting thread and even made me chuckle a little. I have never considered warming or swirling or doing anything to alcohol to help me achieve a buzz without actually drinking it.

I live in a world famous wine region so everything about wine tasting is in fashion. In early sobriety, I remember being asked if I wanted to smell a glass of expensive Cabernet at a dinner party. I did so and I recall the feeling of “tipsy” you describe, sort of like the feeling that would come with seeing my high school crush after years. Like the butterfly’s in the stomach feeling. I do still occasionally sniff wine now at dinner parties when someone asks, but it’s more out of politeness like another posted. I no longer have that “tipsy” feeling. I think if I did it would be a red flag to me to stay away from even sniffing it, and I would just politely decline. Maybe very early sobriety is a time to stay away from it.

What’s happened to me before is after sniffing it, I was asked if I wanted to taste it. I just said “no thanks, I can’t stand the taste of wine.” Or if it was with a group of friends who knew me as a past drinker, I remember saying once “no thanks, I have the start of a cold coming on”. People are germaphobes here! No one who knows me well asks me about tasting anymore. I think it’s good to think about and prepare yourself that this could happen. Someone could ask if you want to taste it. What would you do?

Everyone is different. I agree with what August said also. Ask yourself what your intent is in sniffing it.

Broncosys

Also, study the definitions of relapse and slip. A sniff would not qualify as either I think, but the language of recovery is important. If a sniff of booze is a slip, it is a minor slip at best. But as others above have observed, down that way madness lies, so stay off that path.

DriGuy

Not a relapse, but going around sniffing things at someone's house might be socially inappropriate. After I quit drinking, I kept my last empty whiskey bottle as kind of a memento for a year. A couple of times, I took the cap off and sniffed the residue left in the bottle. It's actually an enjoyable smell to me, but I had no inclination to go out and buy a full bottle.