I am seeing a doctor on the 8th of Feb (the soonest I could get in) to try the Sinclair Method. I am currently drinking a bottle of wine every night. I've tried AA and am willing to keep going but so far have not been able to stop drinking. I am very worried. Is there hope for me?

There is indeed, Random! Welcome to the community and congratulations on getting your prescription!

Here are some tips and hits including how to get started, check them over carefully:

http://optionssavelives.freeforums.net/ ... hints-tips

Tracking your drinks really helps with the process, here's a link to a spreadsheet and graph, but you can use just a plain old paper diary too:

http://optionssavelives.freeforums.net/ ... graph-tool

Keep in mind that this can be a very up and down process, but as you look back at your drink log, you'll see that your drinking levels are mainly heading down. There's usually a Honeymoon effect too, wherein you see your drinking levels fall sharply when you start out, then rise again, even up to or beyond your pre TSM levels. This is due to the brain fighting back and trying to find it's "old pal", the bottle. Your drinking levels will roll off more slowly from there, so no need to fear. Just make sure you take the Nal an hour before you drink, every time.

Again, welcome and thanks for sharing your journey with us!

Thank you for the response. I very much appreciate it and the links. Since I have over a month until I get to see the doctor to even get started on the Sinclaire Method, what do I do about my drinking in the meantime? Try to cut back or cut it out? I am very stressed and confused.

Whoops! Somehow read that as January 8th...

In the meantime, I'd suggest working on conscious control of your drinking, as you're going to be leaning on that while TSM is working on the craving for alcohol and quieting down the urge to drink. Start breaking up the habit a bit. Don't keep your glass close by you. Leave it in another room and take a sip from it, then put it down and walk away. Maybe get up to some little task that takes 10 minutes or so and work towards a goal of making that drink last an hour. Start logging your drinks today so you get in the habit of that. Don't focus much on resisting the first drink, aside from drinking it more slowly. Work on the quantity per drinking day. Look for soft spots in your drinking habit where you have some latitude to change things around a bit. Size up your enemy, as it were.

With TSM, you don't strive for dry days or try to force them. You welcome the craving because the Naltrexone is going to show your brain that alcohol no longer gives the kind of pleasure it's looking for. Where you can put in some effort is in the quantity of drinks per day, as the craving is going to determine the number of days that you drink. It's that quantity-limiting muscle in your mind that you want to start building.

Thank you. I will do that. I am ashamed I haven't been able to quit.

Don't be ashamed, Random. The mainstream "treatment" (detox and strict abstinence) only works for about 10% of those who attempt it. You won't get any of that shame/blame game here, everybody's here's been in a very similar position. Nobody here can throw stones. If anybody should be ashamed, it's doctors of medicine that charge you a lot of money to tell you to pray it away, when it was a medical problem all the time. Have a look at this video:

http://lundbeck.com/global/brain-disord ... dependence

Did you see the documentary One Little Pill?

Even if for some reason TSM doesn't work for you, there are other medications for Alcohol Use Disorder. One way or the other, Random, you will be free.

Thank you again. And thank you for the getting started information. I have not seen the documentary but I am going to watch it. It is hard to not be full of shame and self blame when every day I say I won't drink and then I do. But I do see your point and I an incredibly thankful for your support and encouragement.