I agree that A.A. is marginally helpful at best. and that its main premise of powerlessness is snake oil. that's why I'm here. And I never thought Eskapa or Sinclair were in it for the money, It just seems to me that with an 80% success rate more people would be screaming from the rafters that it works and encouraging others to try it. I mean we are talking about saving lives here! I would think there'd be a grass roots campaign.

I read the book. I get why it hasn't been mass marketed by drug companies, and why the 12 step machine rejects it: there's no real bucks in a cure. (and I don't personally mind the word cure) but damn, if I get cured, I'm gonna tell everybody I know and get on youtube like that guy and try to spread this message to as many people as I can. It's about f#$King time we got a cure! When I'm cured, I consider it a duty and will be proud to help spread the word. I would feel pretty selfish to keep something this important a secret just to save face. but that's my situation, I wouldn't lose my job like some. I mean there's being humble, but when millions die of this behavioral disorder because they don't have access to proper help, and I have that help......just sayin'. one of the few premises in AA I liked was helping others. not cramming stuff down their throats like some of those blowhards do, but sharing ANY and all helpful methods. I have a few AA friends I still talk to and see, and they are skeptical about this, but not critical. They actually are curious and want to see if it works. these guys are the non-droid type recovery guys. like one guy told me he goes to yoga way more than AA. and that works for him.

I tend to question everything. maybe I'm a skeptic and am anxious to be cured. It also hurts to drink right now. it's taxing and I'm hungover right now. but I feel I need to drink on NAL as many days possible early on so that I can expedite the process. is this correct? also I notice I don't play music as passionately on NAL, at least not yet. and I LOVE to drink while playing. so I wonder if I took nal before shows and recording, if it would take away that levitating feeling I get. that would kill this quickly. I still have some symptoms of just feeling weird and tired on NAL, so maybe as those work themselves out I will feel better, and hopefully drink less and less. last night was a mess!

thank you all for being understanding! Without you people to bounce thoughts off of, I may have already given up! Whichever one of you started the board did a great thing, and I owe all of you. I'll call my shot though! If I get cured, I'm gonna tell everybody! A.A. is antiquated and a new way must be found

Stay tuned; I am sure you will see it soon. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if TSM centers pop up in strip malls some day.

Anything that mainstreams this. I'd like to see Nal (or nalmefene, or some new similar variant) sold over-the-counter like allergy meds.

I really do hope that TSM eventually becomes mainstream.

After I was cured, I told as many people as I dared to without jeopardizing my employment. Unfortunately, the majority of people exhibit patronizing attitudes at best and outright denial of your cure at worst. It allowed me to see the worst of human nature. People believe what they want to believe, not facts. Even if they are faced with a real-life example such as myself, they'll attribute my current situation to something they believe in, not TSM.

Over the last 6 months, I have asked those at my place of employment that knew of my problem to send others that are alcoholics to me so I can explain TSM to them so they can be freed of alcohol. I have done the same at my place of worship to those who knew of it. I have told my closest friends that knew about it. In each of these groups, I r know of problem drinkers. To date, not a single person has been referred to me and I have not been approached by anyone to date about TSM. Even my psychiatrist has somewhat lost interest and you'd think he'd be fascinated by it. All of this experience I have related is not to discourage anyone from "spreading the word", but if you think people will embrace it with exuberance, be prepared to be disheartened. As I said before, people believe what they want to believe, regardless of the facts.

Joe, I know you are anxious. I was. Others were too; Most people are now. But TSM works behind the scenes at it's own pace. We are instructed to drink as we always did and that is good advice. I am not sure that it can be sped up. It will happen when it happens.

Bob

PS There's some preacher over on the SR site that is abstinent because of the way that he was prescribed Naltrexone by his doctor, very similar to TSM but not exactly the same and he doesn't use the term Sinclair method. His signature line was Matthew 23:37 and I was puzzled as to why he used that particular Bible verse. I think I know what he is getting at now. The gist of the Bible verse is "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the killer of the prophets and stoner of those sent forth to her, how often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks together under her wings! But YOU people did not want it." I finally think I understand it now. He felt he had a medical treatment that worked (the prophet). And the people on the SR site wouldn't listen to him (YOU people did not want it). I think I'm experiencing the same thing.

In my experience the people I've talked to about TSM (who I KNOW have a "problem") just stare at me blankly and say nothing....you know, folks have to admit they have a problem with alcohol before they can get interested in any treatment. Several members of my very close family who I pray and pray will stop drinking still won't even consider taking Nal - even when I told them I'd get the stuff for them if they didn't want to involve their docs....no takers. They just don't want to stop drinking, or they just can't admit they are in trouble.

Well, I'm cured thanks to my answered prayers - heaven sent TSM!!!!!

There's a local magazine coming out next week with an interview I was asked to do about my experiences with drinking, and naltrexone's cure - my first name is correct in the article and I suspect many who read it will know it's me...how do I feel about being at least semi-public? I don't care. As long as many get the message - that's the important thing.

Keep us posted as to the reaction to the article, immediate and long-term. I truly hope it will have a good effect and attract at least some to an effective treatment.

Some days I sit here introspectively and think about how different a year has made in my behavior. I have no idea when I will drink again. When I do, I'll take my Naltrexone of course, but drinking is not part of my life anymore. If I sounded pessimistic in my previous post, it is because I was so optimistic about how people would receive the news that there is a simple effective treatment available. But they weren't really listening or interested, and thsi is over a 6 month span of time.

To your point, BGH, if they're not admitting to an alcohol problem they're not going to listen, I can see that being the case. But part of my point is that when those same people finally get to that point where their life is being ruined by alcohol and they finally see it, I really hope they remember you and TSM. Our society is so steeped in 12-stepping, that AA may likely be the first thing that comes to their mind and that's the true tragedy.

Bob

I agree with everything being posted above. Most especially, I agree with the sentiment that TSM saves lives, remarkably no one seems to care or believe it, and in response we should be shouting the truth from the mountaintops. Our voices will literally saves lives, perhaps in the millions. And that's not grandiose, it's fact.

I am in the process of starting my shout. I'll be going public with who I am and my story in short order, including all of my friends here. I will dedicate the majority of my energy I have left on this earth promoting TSM and obliterating anything in its path, including AA.

Nick, when I get cured I'll be right there with you. but we should be careful not to be too combative or insulting. You and I share the same vitrioltoward A.A. and sheep in general, which could do more harm than good considering the " pseudo legitimacy" the A.A. machine has in modern treatment

People will listen. Through coaching my wife through this program, I now have my friend's brother starting TSM today and two other friends deciding between TSM and Baclofen. It's important to note that all of you on this forum are blazing a trail that will likely become a highway someday. The need is there, the demand is there, the technology is there. They can only lobby for so long until they will have to spit the bit. I am sure that the medical community will come to it's senses and distance itself from quasi-religious organizations that promote faith healing as the only option. Congratulations to all of you brave pioneers.

.