if a reformed alcoholic has a drink by mistake, should they be told what they did?

I think I would not say anything, I don't see what good it would do, other than make them start over in counting days/weeks/months of sobriety. That alone would be discouraging after 4 years.

One beer is nothing you can take back, and there is no antidote for having drunk it, so silence would be my decision.

As to "I doubt the one beer did any harm", it is my understanding (through my dad who has a PhD in drug/alcohol counselling, and is over 27 years sober) that one drink brings an alcoholic right back to the state he was in the day he decided he had to quit.

That said, an recovered alcoholic who really didn't want to drink again would never presume that a drink that said "beer" on it didn't have any alcohol. He'd check the label.

I don't know if I'd say anything or not, because I would either have not left it there to begin with, or would have talked to the person about whether or not to leave it beforehand.

PS- In a non-alcoholics home, there's probably lots of stuff that contains alcohol, like cough syrup, etc.

I wouldn't worry about it. The guy knew he was staying at a non-alcoholics home. He should be prepared to be seeing stuff that contains alcohol.

They know they had a drink.

Its just like a compulsive shopper who shops continually, and goes to rehab to control it. Eventually, they always go back to a store and will spend, and they know they're doing it. A compulsive drinker is the same thing, they know they are drinking and they are very well aware of the dangers. They are the ones that have to want to stop drinking, and apparently this is not the case yet.

Im sure they knew they had alcohol. We make our own choices in life and deal with our own consequences. Alcoholics do not need babysitting in regards to their addiction. They need to grow up and need to learn responsibility above all else.

I doubt the one beer did any harm. I would hate to think he's one of those sorry saps that goes out on a binge and expects everyone to believe it's due to that one beer. What a load of crap that is.

once you initiate eating you physique develops a reflex to drink (oftentimes every time you place your self in a topic the place you regularly drink) (very like with Pavlov's canine) attempt to take your self removed from those circumstances, particular meaning dropping some acquaintances. bypass to AA, carry on with it. the main crucial element of remember is which you will constantly be a recuperating alcoholic. (attempt starting to be a member of a activities team or yoga type, or the different club, it is consistently tougher on my own)

No need. They already know. The memory of the feeling and taste never goes away. Maybe she had a visitor over who drank it? Anyway, your friend should have faith in his friend. It helps more than people know.

Personally I would say nothing. Either the person noticed the effect, in which case he/she knows already; or they didn't, in which case no harm has been done.