My take on AF drinks
I get some very mixed responses when I speak to people about alcohol free beers, wines and other drinks. Some people swear by them and other people don’t recommend them and swear they can cause a relapse.
My opinion is whatever gets your through and whatever works for you and everyone is different. If you have had a daily and physical addiction with alcohol I wouldn’t recommend these kinds of drinks as I have known of people that have relapses because of them. Also some beers that claim to be alcohol free do actually contain .05% , not much but I guess even that small amount could trigger someone into a relapse. The very taste can set off a trigger in your mind to get you thinking about alcohol or wanting more. While other people can enjoy an alcohol free beer and not feel triggered at all. Ash has some in our fridge and very occasionally will have an AF beer after mowing the lawns or on a hot day but he usually only has one and doesn’t feel like any more than that.
I really love the Monday Distillery AF Gin and Tonic on a special occasion and I don’t feel it triggers me at all. I love the taste and the packaging and it makes me feel like I have a special treat for myself at a party or if friends are over, it’s also a great talking point. That being said both myself and Ash where not daily drinkers with physical dependency on alcohol. I also have a bottle of AF red and white in my cupboard for cooking purposes but I have never felt the urge to drink them. Mainly because I think they will taste like hell. In all honesty I don’t think I ever really enjoyed the taste of alcohol and I probably only ever drank to get pissed to the urge to drink AF beer or wine isn’t there for me. If you are currently in or have undertaken a recovery program, rehab or AA I would not recommend these types of drinks. I would suggest pimping up your soda water or Kombucha. I love to add lime and herbs to mine to make it spesh.
So, know thy self. If you want to have something a bit snazzy or treat yourself to that feeling of having a “drink” without the alcohol then by all means do it, enjoy it and congratulate yourself on having an AF option. If you feel it triggers you to seek out an actual real beer or champagne then I would stay away.
But if not, go for it AF alternatives can be a great way to get you through the Christmas parties, the gatherings or the first few months of sobriety.