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The benefits of giving up alcohol

2 lurkers | 280 watchers

34 contributors in last 30 days

HappyG(rrr) Jun 2020 12:07pm, 10 Jun 2020 35,142 posts	0 HappyG(rrr) Greppers, I agree some people don't like or want to touch anything that "simulates" the flavour of alcohol. But some do. So is it OK for us to discuss it or are you saying you're uncomfortable with it being a topic? Just checkin. G
WA Jun 2020 12:13pm, 10 Jun 2020 7,009 posts	0 WA Ginger cordial sounds good, I'll give it a go, thanks
GregP Jun 2020 12:25pm, 10 Jun 2020 120,233 posts	0 GregP Just saying I get it but it’s not for me. You carry on. Our common welfare must come first...
HappyG(rrr) Jun 2020 12:40pm, 10 Jun 2020 35,145 posts	0 HappyG(rrr) Righty ho. Thanks. Again, anyone else who thinks talk of zero alc beers, wines or spirits is not helpful, do let me know. Not sure how we'd segregate it, but I'm sure we could find a way! The way I look at things like Feragaia or Seedlip are not as "pretend gin" but as a sophisticated fermentation of vegetables and herbs to create interesting flavours, which have nothing to do with alcohol and never had. No alc beer is bit trickier because it tastes like... well... beer! But the botanical fermented spirits and kombucha and all these things, they never had anything to do with alcohol. And for those of us interested in interesting flavours and looking for new diversions, they should be ideal! G
Derby Tup Jun 2020 12:43pm, 10 Jun 2020 42,950 posts	0 Derby Tup Thanks for the explanation Grep We’re a broad church. I’m reasonably okay with n/a beer that’s something like beer but have zero interest tbh in n/a wine or spirits, wether they’re like their alcoholic equivalents or not. I will drink up to 0.5% alcohol beer, but as I think I posted here turned down 0.9% cider recently (it smelt of ‘booze’ to me)
Oscar the Grouch Jun 2020 12:55pm, 10 Jun 2020 1,636 posts	0 Oscar the Grouch For some, the low alcohol alternatives are also a stepping stone to sobriety/alcohol free life, so perhaps we should be open about it - as we are open about all other matters?
jda Jun 2020 1:07pm, 10 Jun 2020 7,581 posts	0 jda As a cut/downer I definitely find LA beers helpful on occasion, there are hot days when a cold beer is just what I feel like (and being able to have one at lunchtime is an extra bonus) as well as the meals like curry when a beer just seems like the right drink to me.
DocM Jun 2020 1:59pm, 10 Jun 2020 34,977 posts	0 DocM gosh its got busy in here, great to see, but i can hardly get to the bar to get my alcohol free beer
Big_G Jun 2020 4:25pm, 10 Jun 2020 33 posts	0 Big_G Yes, it's a tricky subject. I was a member of a very popular group on Facebook (Club Soda) and they are very much into the AF beers. I can see how it can be triggering (I'm trying to find a better word) as pictures of people having what looks like beer can lead to thoughts of "real" beer. In the first 12 months I was actually very clear in my own mind that I didn't want any AF beers at all so in the end came out of that group, for fear that it would cause me to reach for a "proper" one. I can't remember now but I think I broke that self-imposed rule once at Yorkshire Marathon (I think it was - could be wrong) when I was gasping for any drink whatsoever and basically downed one (Erdinger I think it was). I relaxed my own self-imposed rule a bit from the second year as by that point I just knew I wasn't going back to my previous ways. For me, I haven't been tempted with the spirits - not because I'm worried I may reach for a real one but just because I don't think I'd fancy one. I think in 2019/2020 I may have two bottles of AF sparkling wine - one at Xmas, and can't remember the other one off hand - but otherwise I don't tend to bother with that. I do, however, unfortunately, drink a lot of coffee! And also tea, I drink different teas. I don't know if this is a tip or not, but in the first few months if I fancied a real beer, (especially when I went to beer festivals with mates), I just reminded myself that although there are some beauts at these festivals, in years gone by I've also drank a large amount of stuff that tasted absolutely grim, so that seemed to help at the time! The amount of half pints that have gone "over the shoulder" at these places is probably fairly large. But, I have to say, there's nothing quite like the joy you can get when you order a half pint at the festival and the person serving goes waaaay over the line.... I do like some of the AF beers now, but they're a different drink to "real" beers in my mind. I don't understand the laws/marketing behind them either. Am I right in saying that some fizzy drinks may actually have some alcohol in them but they don't need to state that as they're officially soft drinks. But if an AF beer has a similar trace, they have to declare it so sometimes you'll see ones with 0.05%, but a similar soft drink wouldn't have to declare that? Or have I made all that up?
jacdaw Jun 2020 4:40pm, 10 Jun 2020 3,100 posts	0 jacdaw I haven't had an alcoholic drink since 2011, I think, and I don't like sweet drinks, so I find I only ever drink tea, coffee and (tap) water. It sounds really puritanical, but it is just what I prefer. I've never considered alcohol free beer, at all. I imagine it would leave me wanting a "proper" drink, and I don't want to do that.

About This Thread

Maintained by HappyG(rrr)

Looks as though this thread has become popular again, here in 2010 (it's now 2024, and it started in 2008, so I think "ever popular" might be more apt! :-)

G )

Good Luck everyone.

A recent plea for those struggling to "reach out" as they say in US of A!

"Anyone not feeling strong and confident, please shout out. Or fmail. Or any other comms that works. Don't drink alcohol when you don't want to, for lack of someone to talk to. Pick up the phone, not the bottle."

Some acronyms, in case people use them:
JFT - Just for today
ODAAT - One day at a time
KIS - Keep it simple
TBOGUA - The Benefits Of Giving Up Alcohol (the title of this thread!)

New feature: article/blog of the month (period may change randomly!) Swittle's wonderful 14,611 days blog: (see links below)

Linking Joopsy's 17 year blog too, cos it's awesome!

There is a GREAT article summarising some of the benefits, to save you having to trawl through the thread (includes links to helpful apps and other resources).

And a great list of Alternative Drinks started by the lovely LindsD:

Please add to these articles and make them as valuable as possible! Thanks! :-)

G

And one from way back when...
Dirt Monkey's brilliant blog on TBOGUA too - go try this...

Rebel has recommended a couple of good books:
The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober: THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
by Catherine Gray

The Alcohol Experiment: 30 Days to Take Control, Cut Down or Give Up For Good
by Annie Grace

A great response from a health professional in Ireland responding to a question from a Guardian reader about why the warnings on alcoholic drinks that are coming in:

theguardian.com

"Alcohol is responsible for at least 1,000 cancer cases every year in Ireland, with one in eight breast cancer cases arising from alcohol use. Even one to two drinks per day increases the risk of developing cancer, and that risk is the same whether those drinks are wine, spirits or beer. Unfortunately, there is a very low level of public awareness that alcohol has been classed as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning it is carcinogenic to humans. That is why Ireland has passed legislation that provides for health information labels on alcohol products, including warnings about cancer, liver disease and the danger of drinking in pregnancy. It is unsurprising that the alcohol industry, which promotes its products with carefully crafted myths of good times for all, is objecting to the mandatory provision of facts (Anger brews in Italy over Ireland’s plans for alcohol health warnings, 12 January).
Dr Sheila Gilheany
CEO, Alcohol Action Ireland
"

And the all important fabulous services:
Alcoholics Anonymous
National Helpline (FREE) 0800 9177 650
help@aamail.org

Al Anon
020 7403 0888

medal

Contact TBOGUA medal

We're adding in our own Fetch offer of one to one contact too, for anyone who doesn't want to post in the thread for whatever reason. Please feel free to fmail ANY of the names listed below.

- - - -
HappyG(rrr)
( Oscar the grouch RIP )
mrs shanksi
Derby Tup
iaincr
Love Lettuce
DocM
LindsD
GeneHunt59
GregP