I’m Glad I Waited 3 Years Before Trying My First NA Beer

It was a delicious reminder of what almost killed me

I don’t really crave alcohol anymore. I wake up every morning with no hangover, a clear head, and full memory of my actions of the previous day.

Becoming sober has been the single most transformative decision I’ve ever made. My life is totally different than it was three years ago and I am so grateful it’s not a total dumpster fire anymore.

However, I’d be lying if I said there aren’t parts of me that wish I could have a few drinks.

Marketing campaigns for Big Alcohol are no joke. They’re in our faces constantly. And during the summer, I miss having an ice-cold beer on a hot summer day, dammit.

For 3 years, I’ve stayed away from NA (non-alcoholic) beverages because I know myself well enough to know that if I tasted beer, I would start wanting the real thing.

I loved beer and wine, but I love my sobriety more and I just didn’t want to risk it.

Some people can have NA beverages throughout their sobriety and be just fine. I’m ecstatic that there are more NA options coming out all the time and more than just O’douls (not that there’s anything wrong with O’douls).

I’m also appreciative that there are now NA options that are actually 0% alcohol. Lots of people don’t realize that there’s a very small amount of alcohol in an NA beer. You’d have to drink a shit ton of them to actually feel any effects, but it’s still there.

I was unsure I could be one of those people that can just sip on NA beers and be content, especially during the first 2 years of sobriety. That uncertainty was enough to keep me away.

That all changed last weekend. I finally tried my first one — a Budweiser Zero. I was a Bud Light girly for many years. So, when someone offered me a Bud Zero on a 90-degree day in Arkansas, I decided to indulge.

I was nervous. I picked it up, twisted off the top, and took a sip.

Well, hello old friend. It tasted just how I remembered. Summer in a bottle for this simple, Midwestern gal.

I wondered if it really tasted good, or if it’s just been so long that I wouldn’t notice the difference anymore. Either way, I can’t say I wasn’t just a little triggered.

I know for certain now that if I would have tasted this 3 years ago, I would have fallen down the slippery slope of wanting the ‘real’ thing.

It was a little weird to have that old familiar taste and not any of the effects. I had 3 beers and I was done. Obviously, I didn’t have a buzz, but I also didn’t feel the need to drink them all night. I continued on with my night and decided that I might incorporate an NA beverage every now and then.

For some people, you may wonder what the big deal is. I get it. I mean, it doesn’t have alcohol, so what’s the big deal if I have NA beer all the time?

For me, the big deal is that because it tastes so familiar, so much like the poison I used to consume daily, I will start fixating on missing that feeling of familiarity.

That feeling will grow and my cravings will grow with them. Then, the blurrier the line will become between having the ‘real’ thing and the dupe. My brain will play tricks on me and convince me that I should be able to have just one ‘real’ one.

And then, here we go— the vicious, evil cycle of addiction begins again. I start with just one drink. I moderate… until I can’t. Which let’s face it, won’t be long.

Before you know it, I’m drinking every single night until I black out. Every single brick I’ve laid for the foundation of my sobriety slowly crumbles — until I find myself alone again, lying on my kitchen floor with my brain convincing me I don’t deserve to live.

So, if you’re newly sober and debating on whether NA beverages are for you, take this as a cautionary tale. Only you know yourself and can make the decision on whether NA beverages will be a part of your sobriety.

Personally, I’m glad I waited. Now I can enjoy one every once and a while. But, if you’re nervous and hesitant — maybe wait til you’ve got some time under your belt.

Your sobriety should always come first.