Diet Coke

Even though ex-alcoholics and addicts are abstinent from the things that were killing them, it doesn't mean they don't have other things that they enjoy with the regularity of their previous 'drug of choice.'(1) Diet Coke is one of the mainstay beverages of many recovering 12-steppers, as it provides many elements a sober person really can latch on to:

1. A beverage with lots of caffeine. Later in recovery, some people come to the decision that this, too, is an addictive substance they wish to jettison along with nicotine and sugar. But many recovering persons find that caffeine is a lovely drug substitute that helps them in many areas of their life, ranging from getting up in the morning to not killing people in the afternoon to staying awake for more recovery or fellowship time.

2. A decoy beverage. Especially when one is new in sobriety, it is often nice to have a beverage that is easily disguised as an alcoholic beverage so others in potential drinking situations (e.g., work parties, weddings) don't question the newly recovering person as to why they are abstaining from alcohol. This is particularly important if the person is around a bunch of people they *used* to drink with.

3. Easy access. Diet Coke is pretty easy to find. You can find it at any gas station, convenience store, drugstore, grocery store and many restaurants. There are some varieties that are more scarce, such as the much coveted Cherry Diet Coke, which is noticeably different from Cherry Coke Zero, as many Diet Coke drinkers will attest.(2) It is always wise to check with a restaurant if they really have Diet Coke or if they are trying to pawn off a Diet *Cola,* which is much different, and may cause the Diet Coke aficiando to have something entirely different, like an orange soda.

There is some discussion amongst Diet Coke drinkers as to which Diet Coke is the best Diet Coke, as there seems to be some variance to the recipe from delivery device to delivery device. Some drinkers prefer their Diet Coke in cans, while others prefer the plastic 20 oz. bottles. A high percentage of Diet Coke drinkers have an obsession with Diet Coke dispensed as a McDonalds' fountain drink. There has been no scientific evidence to prove this, but many addicts and alcoholics suspect that there is some additive in Diet Coke that inures the drinker to it, much like cigarettes and Starbucks.

No matter how it gets to a recovering addict's mouth, it is consumed the way they drank alcohol -- fast. A horde of drunks can wipe out a case of Diet Coke without effort. If a party is being organized, one should always plan on having twice the amount of Diet Coke a normal party would need.


(1) Drug of choice: The mind-altering substance an addict/alcoholic preferred to get themselves out of reality.

(2) Coke Zero and its variants are still caffeinated *and* sugar-free, but they definitely taste different than Diet Coke. This blog says that Coke Zero has half the aspartame.