Does being sober include alcoholic chocolate?

[Exceptionalice]

I feel like this is a really stupid question but I genuinely don’t know the answer.

I’m just over 8 weeks sober. 29 years old and just realised that my alcohol consumption was ridiculous. I used it to try and fend off my anxiety but I realise now it just made it worse. I was getting though maybe a bottle of wine a night, occasionally a bottle of Ameretto.
So I stopped drinking for a couple weeks, went to a wedding and had a wine, and had a terrible panic attack in the middle of the night. Since then I’ve been t-total.

my question is, does chocolate containing alcohol ruin my streak? My absolutely favourite chocolate at Christmas are cherry liqueurs and my dad asked if I can have them as he was planning on getting me some.. and I don’t know! Can I? Am I truly sober if I have them? Is it ok to say I’m sober if I eat them or is that offensive to those who work hard to avoid absolutely all alcohol.

I believe those with alcoholic use disorder/ alcoholics would avoid them when sober. But a couple of chocolates are going to have such a small amount of alcohol in them, I wouldn’t say they would ruin your streak. You won’t know how much they would affect your cravings though.

I think it really depends on your own view on it. The amount of alcohol will be tiny but it might be a an unhelpful trigger for you if they taste a bit boozy.

I wouldnt do this. The amount of alcohol will be minimal but the taste could trigger your cravings.

Congrats on your sober days.

This is entirely up to you and very personal.

I wouldnt consider a piece of chocolate to be breaking your sober streak because the alcohol involved is tiny. Ripe bananas apparently contain trace amounts of alcohol for example, as their sugars ferment over time but I dont consider them to be anything to do with alcohol.

However, if you enjoy amaretto and liqueurs in general then it would be wise to stay away from them because the taste may well cause you to start thinking about drinking. Only you know your triggers and if this could be one then probably best to steer clear.

Well done btw!

Congrats on your sobriety so far - Christmas will no doubt be tricky in general as there alcohol everywhere.
With the chocolates - it's all a case of if the taste of the alcohol would trigger a desire/need in you to have more - if that makes sense? You will not get even tipsy from one or two cherry liquors but the taste may make you reach for a bottle of something on top.

If I was you I'd leave them. Give yourself the chance to really settle into being sober. I bet next Christmas you wouldn't even really like the taste of them. Find something else you really like and make sure you treat yourself to it.

I don't know the answer, but congratulations on having a healthy response to an unhealthy situation. Vitamin B complex should also help with your anxiety

I probably wouldn’t so early on. A couple of years in I had some cherry liqueur chocolates and was fine with that, but now I am 4 years in I don’t think I’d like the taste any more

I know the nurse specialist I used to work with advised to avoid all alcohol including in chocolates and mouthwash etc

How did you do it? I drink a bottle of wine a night and want to stop but I have so much going on I feel like its the only thing that relaxes me. It was only 4 bottles a week until a few months ago and now its a bottle every night, 2 on weekends.

Definitely don't touch anything with even a tiny amount of alcohol. Could easily trigger the More response.

I dont think it's so much the booze getting you drunk but the taste. I had some Bailey's or brandy style cream on some Christmas pudding last year - it was served to me and I didn't know but once I started eating I finished it. I found the whole thing a bit triggering to be honest. Really didn't like it. A year later I'm still thinking about it.... And makes me feel weird. So I would just avoid. Find a new favourite chocolate. (Two and a half years sober here)

Would eating it trigger you to drink? If not, enjoy your chocolates! If yes, avoid.

HelpMeUnpickThis · Today 09:59
I wouldnt do this. The amount of alcohol will be minimal but the taste could trigger your cravings

Definitely this. I really wouldn’t risk it,op, and there are loads of chocolates apart from liqueurs to choose from.

The fact you’re thinking and posting about this sounds like part of the problem drinking - finding workarounds etc. It’s not about ‘saying’ you’re sober, or asking ‘can I’, it’s about resolving your problem. Booze tasting chocolates aren’t a great plan.

Make life as easy as possible for yourself and explore a new favourite chocolate.

Chocolate gingers / orange dipped in dark chocolate/ fabulous truffles etc. Good quality marzipan chocs, maybe? Bendicks Bittermints….

A million percent not worth bringing on a terrible anxiety attack for a chocolate. Your body is telling you it doesn’t want alcohol. It’s a slippery slope I think, just a chocolate then “just one drink.”

good luck OP.

The reason why it relaxes you is that by drinking you're feeding the addiction - think of it as a monster living in your head. It's craving alcohol so will bug you till you give in and drink. The more you drink the bigger it grows, so it needs more and more alcohol to feel satiated.

The only way out of the cycle is to kill it by starving it to death - but one sip will resurrect it, so don't ever think its truly gone. It hasn't.

I'm sober over 6 years. I don't know that I would a chocolate with liquid alcohol inside. But tbf that would probably turn my stomach anyway.

However, I do still enjoy the odd alcoholic sauce (it cooks right out! 😉) be it in a pudding or with meat. Not had an issue there.

I also don't drink 0% alcohol drinks, that's just a personal preference.

I think you can probably judge your own limits, but be careful.

You just need to stop. I found the anxiety and sleep and boredom and everything got worse initially. It's not fun having to sit with your emotions when you're used to drowning them out. But it gets easier and one day suddenly everything will be better, I promise. Get on one of the support threads on here, confide in a friend who will be check it on you, maybe go to a meeting. Accept it will be bumpy to begin with but ultimately worth it. If I can do it you can, I promise x

There's some really good long running supportive threads in this section if you have a look. Why don't you join one? Some are more focused around moderation whilst others are for people trying to abstain altogether. I recommend reading Alcohol Explained by William Porter.

I've been through almost exactly the same. Was drinking a bottle a night and watching my mental health deteriorate. I decided to become addicted to running and working out instead and it's allowed me to stay almost drink free for a few months now. I had a glass of red wine a few weeks ago to test myself. My heart rate soared, anxiety increased and I had a dreadful night's sleep. I also love cherry liqueurs and will allow myself to indulge over Christmas but I now know that I have the self control needed to not overdo it and drink loads too. I think you need to ask yourself if you can be trusted to do the same or not.

Honestly, I think just the hitting rock bottom of anxiety was enough for me to say I cant drink anymore. I have two young children and having a panic attack with them present always left me feeling really guilty. When I made the connection between my panic attacks and alcohol I just felt worse because it’s self inflicted.

I also had some bloods done and my liver levels shows catastrophic damage, turned out this was due to me being poorly at the time but the GP and myself thought it was because of alcohol intake and that really opened my eyes too. Thankfully a repeat test showed it nearly back to normal.

The boredom is the worst for a couple of weeks. Almost like not knowing what to do with your hands, because you’re not reaching for a sip. I swapped out wine for things like elderflower presse, posh fizzy drinks at first. But now I mostly only drink water or tea. Christmas I’ll stock up on nice cans of fizzy pop ect so I still feel like I’m having that something nice and something different.

I feel way better in myself for not drinking though and it’s definitely already been more positive than negative, I feel like everyday is a bigger reward so the motivation to carry on comes naturally.

Avoid them OP if you have a problem with alcohol. There is loads of other chocolate out there. Congratulations on your 2 months sober!!!

Dont do it. its too early and not worth it, just have chocolate