I’m looking for input and advice. Bring newly sober I wonder what you all think about drinking non alcoholic beverages? Am I setting myself up for failure by substituting drinks? It’s part of the ritual I think. When I’ve gone out with friends I’ve ordered non alcoholic beer.
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For me personally i actually do enjoy a good na drink from time to time for the taste and enjoy it even more knowing that it will not have any of the negative numbing effects or health problems associated with it.
i think it really comes down to why you are turning to the na drink. if you are doing so to just enjoy a drink that is not alcoholic then go for it. but if you are doing it cause you miss drinking and want to fill the void then it could be a slippery slope because it will never fill it and you may backslide.
I’ve had to stay away from gluten so unfortunately i haven’t even been able to enjoy a na beer but i do like to order some mocktails when i go out. My go to was gingerbeer with cranberry but then after 3 i was on a sugar high.
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Since I’ve quit drinking I’ve had a few na/mocktails, although I didn’t go out and buy them. I get the appeal, but just don’t feel the need.
A friend accidentally bought na Heineken and offered me one when I was over. At first I said no, but it happened to be my favorite beer so I had one. I liked it, and it didn’t make me want another. Just a reminisce.
At work they have drink specials sometimes and make one as an example. Usually everyone has a sip, but my friend, the bar manager, also quit drinking, so she makes us a fake one.
I agree with @JazzyS that it’s your prerogative. Understanding your reason for wanting to.
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Hey Dana.
Great topic. You can search it up above. I did. Not too many long threads about it though. Mostly NA beers and wine.
Anyway…… for me. I waited until I got some good sober time under my belt before I messed with anything non alcoholic. I was afraid of the demon screaming at me GIVE ME WHAT I WANT!! Now that I got some good sober time I have a NA IPA or a craft mocktail once and awhile. It doesn’t bother me now. I think it’s pointless to drink like virgin drinks or whatever. But if a good mixologist has created something special then I love to try them. One anyway. I had a curry infused green tea with I think pineapple and mint the other day that was incredible.
Of course everyone is different. When I WASN’T SURE if I could do that back when I was newly sober. Then it was a hard NO for me. I stuck with sparkling water in a wine glass with a lemon for a couple of years. It did the trick.
Be careful out there.
ODAAT
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Works perfectly for me.
I love me some non alcoholic Piña Colada or Champagne of there’s a special occasion or there’s a party.
At home I prefer soft drinks anyway. So that’s what I have.
Never been much for beers, but I do try some gluten free non alcoholic kind from time to time.
So I’d say that you can always try and see if it’s something for you. It works for some, and for some it only makes the cravings worse.
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Ive read on here that they definately help some people but for me…i dont want to drink so why would i drink something that looks and tastes like it? Its just a step too far for me…to be fair i never drank because i liked the taste of it anyway xx
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Have a scroll through this topic for some inspiration if you are bored of drinking water 
What are you sipping on today?
Personally I don’t mind na beer once in a while, but beer was never my choice of beverage to begin with. I stay away from na wine and spirits completely, because that’s my demon in disguise. However… some tropical fruit juices in a fancy glass and a colourful paper umbrella is right up my street 
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I’ll occasionally have an NA beer when my husband and I are at our local bbq place. For me, beer was never a favorite drink. I have never had an NA wine, not sure if they have those??? Either way…I don’t know that it’s something I would do.
Either way, we make sure only to have one and to not do it every time. With about 5.5 years of sobriety, I feel more able to take a Frank look at my motivations when making choices.
Other than that, I do like the occasional mocktail when I go to a fancier restaurant. These are made from seltzers, herbs and juices and are not meant to taste like alcohol in any way. They are a nice taste treat!
Again, I find it important to have many years of sobriety under my belt before making these choices.
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I will have mocktails and NA beers when I’m out and about with friends because I like having adult themed beverages and I’m not a fan of sparkling water.
When it comes to mocktails, I love the pomp and campiness of it all—it’s the feeling that this drink was made especially for me and I get to sip it slowly and feel 
cosmopolitan
Same goes for NA wine. I can go to a wine store and have the sommelier take me on a tour of the NA section and I’ll be like “ooh and ahh” and just really perform and sell the fantasy to myself. Then I’ll show up to the dinner with my nonalcoholic sparkling wine from the Alsace region of France and sip lavishly until I want to go home.
I love the taste of hops so I’ll have an NA beer if I’m at a dive bar. Otherwise I’ll just have a maté which is a slightly caffeinated cold tea that’s popular here in Europe.
At home I just drink water because I love tap water and it’s free.
I know I’m ok because when I am drinking my NA drinks, I’m not having a craving to try the alcoholic drink. For me it’s all about matching the energy and elevating the moment into something special.
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I’ve NA beverages and by n large they taste like mold.
Regardless, I’ve seen plenty of people get tripped up on this forum by drinking them. It’s probably less about the drink and more about the situation though. Being in recovery is not just putting the drink down, it’s about changing the patterns and behaviors that lead to drinking. If I’m in early recovery I’m going to be wondering why I’m still out getting drinks with friends. That type of action will almost always lead to a relapse. You have your whole sober life to become social again so it’s not a huge sacrifice to focus on sobriety for now
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I am a huge fan of club soda with limon and lime. I also enjoy virigin daquris. I feel like it tricks my brain. Ive never had non alcoholic beer.
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Yes I can relate. I never drank beer and have had a couple when I’m out. Didn’t feel the need to drink but recently saw an ad for na tequila. That’s my poison. Thinking that would not be a good choice. 
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Thank you all for your feedback. I think at this time for me anything other than na is the way to go. I could feel the rush when I started looking at all the na beverages the sine shop had to offer. I even saw an ad got na tequila. I initially thought wow what a great idea but then realized it my trigger Tequila Dana and she’s no fun to be around. Thank you. I appreciate all that you do to help me maintain my sobriety.
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As far as NA beer goes, I steer clear. My rationale is this; if I can handle drinking one NA beer, I’d convince myself I could handle a real beer, and if I convinced myself to drink one real beer, I’d surely convince myself to have one more.
Mocktails, on the otherhand, I consider to be fruit juice drinks and well, I dig fruit juice l, on rare occasion.
I think there’s nothing wrong with consuming NA drinks while sober, but I do think the reason why one would should be considered. Is it ritual, like you said, shouldn’t we work on changing those rituals? Is it to mask our sobriety from others? Personally, I’m proud to be sober and don’t mind standing out in that respect. Is it because you like the taste? Go for it, but know it is a slippery slope to be standing on; if you are frequently finding yourself in places where mocktails ans NA beers are an option, you might end up getting a haircut.
Great thread, I’ll be interested in hearing everyones opinion on the topic.
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I am pretty early in recovery (165 days) and towards the end of my drinking, I couldn’t even taste the vodka. Not that I drank because I liked the taste!! I drank to reach oblivion. I just don’t really understand why people with alcohol issues would want something that looks and tastes like alcohol. I have orange juice with lemonade. I am also quite happy to explain why I am not drinking alcohol. I used to think it was sad not to drink, now I feel proud I am not drinking anymore. That’s not to say I don’t get cravings, that nasty voice is always trying to convince me to just have one!!! 
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It’s certainly possible to be successful in sobriety drinking 0% beer or mocktails but I have never seen someone actually try them without ending up relapsing.
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Well then, consider yourself now witnessing it!! I drank NA wine (for the fizzy celebratory camaraderie) for about 2 years. I did feel bad about all that darn sugar in it. I did not relapse. I stopped drinking it after the brand I adored was discontinued. Haven’t tried any others, nor do I intend to.
That said, in early sobriety, I would caution a former beer drinker from drinking NA beer, as I would a former wine drinker from drinking NA wine. In my experience changing the ritual/habit nature of the drink is also important (like avoiding the pub, liquor store, etc).
Mocktails feel decidely different to me than NA beer or wine. More of just a fancy soda vs a ‘drink’ or alcohol replacement. Just my experience of course. Tho I would not want a mocktail served in a martini glass or some such. That feels ick to me.
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Well bless your little heart!
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Lol, perfect!! 
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