I've read the book and lots of posts on this forum, which.

I've managed to control my drinking publicly and now only the people I'm closest to ever see me drunk. I've been able to refrain from AL for days and weeks at a time, but it's a real struggle. When I drink, it's sporadic. I'll go for several weeks drinking every day, then a few weeks drinking a few days per week, then a week of AF days. Each drinking session is somewhere between 0.5 and 1.5 bottles of wine.

I tried taking NAL about 2 months ago. I took it about 5 times. It definitely reduced my cravings & interest! But I was concerned about the effect on my mood. I felt very flat and like I didn't care about anything. I stopped taking it because I was afraid the NAL might trigger an episode of depression, which I've experienced several times. I understand why this is happening from reading the book, but I'm hoping for encouraging stories from others who got through this stage. I tried abstinence again after stopping NAL and it worked for a bit.

So here are my questions:
1. has anyone had this experience of flattened moods? if so, did it persist or lessen over time?
should i be concerned about permanent or longer term biochemical effects to my brain?

2. my plan is to resume taking NAL but try not to drink more than a few days a week to avoid the flattened out feeling I described above. i am committed to drinking as little as possible and when I do drink, taking NAL an hour before the first drink. even though this means it will take longer to reverse the addiction. has anyone else taken this approach?

thanks for your help!
LH

Hi,

I've noticed that the "flattened out" thing doesn't last after a month. My body seems to be getting used to it. Can't give any comments about your plan. It's your plan; see if it works. Everyone is different. Good luck......happy holidays!

Hi Lightheart and welcome.

I am not a daily drinker and use nal only on the days I do drink AL. I have made great progress using TSM in this way; it has worked very well for me (I need to update my weekly progress thread and will do so when I get home next week). Nal and TSM have not affected my mood at all the day after, but I haven't ever suffered from depression either, so that may be why.

It's important to post and share our experiences here. While there are similarities which can be reassuring (honeymoon, spikes and extinction bursts), we all seem to respond slightly differently as well. Ah what a unique and amazing species we are.

Good luck and let us know your progress.

Welcome! I also have a pretty episodic drinking pattern. Some weeks it's a little every day. Some weeks it's one or two blowout nights. Sometimes it's three or four moderate days, one heavier than the others. ANyways, you'll get there with TSM as long as you take the nal. It doesn't really matter how often you drink. I do think that nal can make you feel a bit crap at the beginning but that has largely disappeared for me (it's almost transparent as a drug for me now, except for the occasional nausea hwich lingers).
Good luck!

Hi Lightheart,

My husband started TSM a month ago. One of his biggest struggles was with the flattened mood effect and the loss of desire to do much of anything. I'm happy to say that around week 3 it began to subside somewhat, and now after almost 5 weeks it is not such an issue. Best of luck to you!

Thanks for the replies everyone. It's good to hear that others are episodic drinkers too (and seeing progress). Also good to hear that the flattened feeling goes away. Best wishes everyone!

Happy holidays lightheart! Hope they are going well

Welcome to the forum LH! Glad to have you with us.