Free2bme888

Ok, had this pondering maybe I will bring some non alcoholic wine on road trip.


need feedback from my SR family.


Used?


Too scary?


No point?

Great substitute?

Libby06

Non alcoholic wine is for non alcoholics. For myself, it would be a bad idea. How about some sparkling water instead?

ScottFromWI

A very oft and somewhat controversial topic here Free2bme888, I'm surprised you haven't seen some of the threads surrounding NA beverages in your time here on SR. My personal opinion is that it's a bad idea, led me back to drinking the real thing in very short order.

It's not necessarily the substance so much as your motivation - ask your self honestly why you think it would be a good idea? What do you think you will achieve/receive by drinking it? There's a plethora of other types of drinks that don't resemble the poison we need to avoid.

biminiblue

I've never seen the point in it, or non-alcoholic beer.

The only alcoholics I've known who tried it were not serious about quitting alcohol and they were back drinking within months anyway. I've seen it a lot in AA. It seems pointless to me.

Sounds like a bargaining technique of the addictive voice. A foot in the door, so to speak.

venuscat

I honestly cannot add anything to what bim and Scott said dear Free.

Well, maybe one thing.
Why would you want to pretend to be drinking alcohol?
Why would anyone? s

2ndhandrose

I wonder why you would be contemplating this?
Why you might wonder if it is a "good substitute"?

IMO the answer to this is no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

When I quit drinking I closed the door on it completely.
I didn't pour drinks for other people, I didn't smell other peoples drinks, I didn't look for a fake version of my old drink.

I live with my alcoholic drinking husband so alcohol is in my house constantly. It has nothing to do with me and I have nothing to do with it.
I keep my boundary not to engage with it firmly in place.

There are so many things to drink that don't mimic an alcoholic drink.

Sorry if I sound harsh but this is a life and death situation that we all deal with here.

I am in all the way. No compromise. I hope you will be the same.

rose

Jupiter11

I like grape juice or pomegranate juice. They taste nicer than non alcoholic wine, are still a fruit juice, but not as sickly as orange juice say

Hodd

I’m not anti-alcohol free drinks. I probably used them as a replacement in my early days of withdrawal, but now I drink on average a half to one can a week.

I went on a longish holiday to Asia when I was eight months sober, and I packed a few cans of alcohol free beer as this wasn’t available there. Whilst there, unfortunately the news came through that my dad had died. Now, eight months sober is good going, but the death of a parent is a trigger if ever there was one, and I turned to my stash of alcohol free. If I hadn’t packed them, I may well have bought some of the real stuff instead.

That’s my experience, even though it’s not the most popular view. It’s not black and white, and I’m not sure it’s right to demonise AF for everyone. Saying that, if you’re going to drink AF in larger quantities as a direct substitute for alcohol for a long period, there’s clearly something not right.

Fusion

Non-alcoholic wine reminds me of my 'tapering down' days. One alcohol glass - followed by one non-alcoholic glass, and so on. The non-alcoholic glass tasted disgusting and left me wanting the alcohol glass. There's loads of non-alcohol drinks out there.......a substitute didn't work for me....

Polaroid

Why wine? Do you like the taste?

There was a period where I drank N/A beer and wine. I associated the taste of the feeling of relaxation. The back of my mind knew I didn't actually drink alcohol, but I tried to ignore that... In the end it was essentially pointless.

dustyfox

I am going to throw my two penneth in -
Once in a while I do like non alcoholic beer as it tastes nice and is something to drink n the evening, that isn't coke or other sweet drinks, or cup of tea.
I also like non alcoholic red wine but I heat it up and add cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg and orange juice - tastes delicious !!!
These are once in a while drinks but mainly I drink very strong ginger tea with lemon.
However I am only 5 months sober so what do I know ! Maybe avoid if you think it even might be a trigger?

Mizz

I never really liked the taste of alcohol if I am honest. Wine only tasted somewhat good after I already had too much. Wine was my drug of choice. I don't see the point in NA beverages for myself but there is market for them.

If I were going on a trip I could think of so many others beverages .......Water, lemon water, lime water, a soda, tea, Arnold palmer, lemonade, spritzy water with lime, shirley temple, electrolyte waters, coconut water .....just about anything other than something that looked and tasted like my drug of choice.

Hodd

I like the sound of your “mulled wine” and might try similar when the weather’s colder.

Good point about cola and such things. Nothing healthy about any of them. Fruit juice is also getting a bad rep nowadays. The best thing to drink has to be water, but how dull is that. So as well as the other caveats about AF products, I’d add watch out for the sugar content.

Caramel

I'd never before heard of the "Arnold Palmer" drink, sounds good, not too sweet; must make some one day

Dee74

That little voice is at its most potent when it sounds the most reasonable Free.

You are doing great…keep doing great.
You are a non drinker

There’s any number of yummy
drinks that won’t remind you of your old poison.

I think it’s important to ask yourself why your thoughts have strayed to NA wine?

Just a random thought? Unlikely.

do you miss real wine?if so, why?
are you trying to fly under the radar as a non drinker in social situations/company?



D

Free2bme888

Really good thoughts here, all of them.

I think Dr Free misses having a ‘drink’ with me, but I’m afraid, afraid that even though there’s no alcohol in it, might set off the BEAST.

On the other hand, I was thinking that perhaps if I got no buzz with the wine, my brain would be trained that there is no buzz with it. I did negative feedback with quitting cigs almost 34 years ago, and it worked.

Thank you for all your posts.

I think it’s too scary for me to purchase or sip non alcoholic wine.

Yes, I equated the taste of red wine with a positive feedback loop when I was a drinker 😰

I don’t drink anymore

I don’t smoke candy cigarettes either, so I guess I’m seeing some of the points provided here.

Dee74

I used to think people missed drinking with me but turns out they all preferred the sober me…
D

Hodd

I must admit, as someone who used to enjoy red wine - if drinking a whole bucket can be classed as enjoyment - alcohol free red wine has such a bloody awful flavour, I’d rather drink anything else. It’s like a mix of ribena and vinegar. Now, here I am at 10pm on a Saturday renovating my kitchen with a decaf coffee. Living the dream 👍

KAD65

I tried "near beer" once. After downing a whole 6-pack, I got so disappointed and frustrated with not feeling what I usually felt, I went out and bought the real thing. Not saying that's what would happen to everyone, but IMO, it's a bit like teasing the AV. It doesn't like that.

least

nope. i drank to get drunk so na wine holds no interest for me