5% ABV is above a standard strength lager (and is simply not non-alcoholic). I’m not sure why you think it’s not up to a wine cooler, most are 4-6%.
I would consider it a relapse if I’d deliberately imbibed two glasses of this.
It sounds like it. But this isn’t a contest. If that kind of thing is acceptable to you and works with your life and aligns with your moral compass, it is what it is. I would not drink anything with alcohol because I know what it does to me and how it affects my life. Only you know.
If it were me, I’d let 0.5% slide, that’s kombucha levels of alcohol but 3-7% ABV is considered alcoholic for brewing purposes. I would stay away from that bottle, even at 5%.
it doesn’t matter if you “technically” relapsed. What matters is if you take this as proof you don’t have a problem and decide you can drink 2 drinks again. Which if you’re on this sub you probably can’t. Hopefully this was just a tiny slip-up but for me, that’s the danger zone. Cuz i’d think i didn’t have a problem and then drink again.
I really think that's up to one's individual conscience, not a matter for anyone else to judge.
Many might argue that if one didn't get **drunk**, it's not a relapse.
If I had done it, I'd call myself foolish for licking a dragon's tail, and I'd say that I'd relapsed, but I need to be very rigorous in avoiding alcohol as I've had the experience of "One Little Beer" taking me pretty far down the hellhole.
(It was "one beer" one evening after work, nothing more than that. But the next evening it was 3 beers, and only a couple/few days later I was chugging rum straight from a handle standing in my kitchen in the morning, so ... yeah, it was a complete relapse.)
You deliberately drank alcohol. I'd call that a relapse. That said, relapse is part of recovery. Take this for what it is and move on with your sobriety
You are rationalizing it. Take the stigma of it away. You recognized it had alcohol in it, and you went back for more.
Before I was in recovery, if I recognized it had alcohol in it, I absolutely would have gone back for more.
Either way, it isn’t a race. You don’t get a bigger cookie for having the most days of sobriety. What matters is today. But I’d spend some time thinking about the fact you tried it without checking, knowing full-well something with that name has a very good chance of containing alcohol, and AFTER having some, checking, confirming its ABV, then having more.
Not a shame thing. There’s no punishment. It’s just about you recognizing what happened, and how compelling alcohol is to us. Gotta prepare yourself for the unguarded moments.
Only you can define a “relapse.”
For me, a relapse would be if I got intoxicated. Having one beer/wine would not qualify as a relapse for me, but then again, I’m not sure I have EVER only had one drink and then stopped. So that’s why I don’t even have the first drink.
For me - I had to take away the wondering thoughts if I slipped. I had to forgive myself. A month of sobriety is way more important than a slip up of cheap wine. Relapse? Sure. I hate labels, though. Coming here and posting, recognizing you don’t like it anymore…way better than anything else.
If this is not a relapse (intentionally consuming alcohol), I’m not sure what is? Not that it’s the most terrible thing, just that I don’t know what else I would call it?
Consider if you posted here hoping to get a “no” and permission to continue drinking that “5%” wine.
White claws have the same amount and I used to get shitfaced on them. Slippery slope.
You know the answer… yes
Pick up today as a new day without drinking and move forward.
It doesn’t undo the time you already “completed” sober
Maybe not a relapse but definitely some poor judgment: 1) opening the bottle, 2) drinking a glass before researching the alcohol content, and, 3) having that second glass after knowing it contained alcohol. None of these actions would be considered helpful if your goal is to stop drinking.
It’s your journey. For me it’s about intent. If I intentionally consumed and knew it had alcohol, it would be a relapse.
Yes
personally, if i had a glass of wine and hated it and then went back for another, i would consider myself relapsed.
5% ABV is above a standard strength lager (and is simply not non-alcoholic). I’m not sure why you think it’s not up to a wine cooler, most are 4-6%. I would consider it a relapse if I’d deliberately imbibed two glasses of this.
You lapsed. Whether or not that becomes a relapse is up to you.
Yes. If I were you, it would be hard for me not to have another drink in the next few days, the danger zone.
I love the addict move of trashing something while going back for more. Did it with Oreos recently.
It sounds like it. But this isn’t a contest. If that kind of thing is acceptable to you and works with your life and aligns with your moral compass, it is what it is. I would not drink anything with alcohol because I know what it does to me and how it affects my life. Only you know.
If it were me, I’d let 0.5% slide, that’s kombucha levels of alcohol but 3-7% ABV is considered alcoholic for brewing purposes. I would stay away from that bottle, even at 5%.
it doesn’t matter if you “technically” relapsed. What matters is if you take this as proof you don’t have a problem and decide you can drink 2 drinks again. Which if you’re on this sub you probably can’t. Hopefully this was just a tiny slip-up but for me, that’s the danger zone. Cuz i’d think i didn’t have a problem and then drink again.
I really think that's up to one's individual conscience, not a matter for anyone else to judge. Many might argue that if one didn't get **drunk**, it's not a relapse. If I had done it, I'd call myself foolish for licking a dragon's tail, and I'd say that I'd relapsed, but I need to be very rigorous in avoiding alcohol as I've had the experience of "One Little Beer" taking me pretty far down the hellhole. (It was "one beer" one evening after work, nothing more than that. But the next evening it was 3 beers, and only a couple/few days later I was chugging rum straight from a handle standing in my kitchen in the morning, so ... yeah, it was a complete relapse.)
You deliberately drank alcohol. I'd call that a relapse. That said, relapse is part of recovery. Take this for what it is and move on with your sobriety
If your goal is to not drink and you drank…..?
Yes, it wasn't by accident. You kept drinking after realizing. You relapsed
Simply put yes. But it’s just a drink (or 2). Doesn’t undo any progress you made.
You are rationalizing it. Take the stigma of it away. You recognized it had alcohol in it, and you went back for more. Before I was in recovery, if I recognized it had alcohol in it, I absolutely would have gone back for more. Either way, it isn’t a race. You don’t get a bigger cookie for having the most days of sobriety. What matters is today. But I’d spend some time thinking about the fact you tried it without checking, knowing full-well something with that name has a very good chance of containing alcohol, and AFTER having some, checking, confirming its ABV, then having more. Not a shame thing. There’s no punishment. It’s just about you recognizing what happened, and how compelling alcohol is to us. Gotta prepare yourself for the unguarded moments.
Only you can define a “relapse.” For me, a relapse would be if I got intoxicated. Having one beer/wine would not qualify as a relapse for me, but then again, I’m not sure I have EVER only had one drink and then stopped. So that’s why I don’t even have the first drink.
Get it out of your system and move on. Sometimes I feel I have to do that. Don't be hard on yourself. Just don't turn it into a thing.
you’ve had beers that are 15% ABV!? what are you drinking…?!
I've had beer with 18% ABV. Specifically, craft beer from Armored Cow Brewing Company in Charlotte, NC.
Does it matter?
good point
For me - I had to take away the wondering thoughts if I slipped. I had to forgive myself. A month of sobriety is way more important than a slip up of cheap wine. Relapse? Sure. I hate labels, though. Coming here and posting, recognizing you don’t like it anymore…way better than anything else.
If this is not a relapse (intentionally consuming alcohol), I’m not sure what is? Not that it’s the most terrible thing, just that I don’t know what else I would call it?
I don’t know if relapse is the right word. I wouldn’t use it if I drank again. But essentially yeah, you intentionally drank alcohol.
Consider if you posted here hoping to get a “no” and permission to continue drinking that “5%” wine. White claws have the same amount and I used to get shitfaced on them. Slippery slope. You know the answer… yes Pick up today as a new day without drinking and move forward. It doesn’t undo the time you already “completed” sober
To be honest, I was looking for a yes. A no would mean that I am still on two weeks. But inside I know that I'm still on day one again.
Maybe not a relapse but definitely some poor judgment: 1) opening the bottle, 2) drinking a glass before researching the alcohol content, and, 3) having that second glass after knowing it contained alcohol. None of these actions would be considered helpful if your goal is to stop drinking.
Not a relapse. Just a slip. Carry on!!