Hello all,

6 weeks into the Sinclair Method. Beginning to get nervous that TSM will not work for me. I could be in the percentage that this does not work for. I am more or less a daily drinker. I average about 3-6 beers on each weekday night and the 8-14 beers on one big weekend binge. Then I’m usually too hung over to drink for a couple days. Then the cycle starts over.

I have been sober on and off for many years and tried everything at one point but it never sticks. I always end up drinking again and it usually gets problematic. My goal would be moderate drinking.

My expectations of the Sinclair Method were very high due to YouTube videos I’ve seen of the so called “early responders” - people who start taking Naltrexone and find their drinking is almost down to normal levels or abstinent in what seems like a matter of weeks. This has not been my experience at all. I’m hoping this is a long game for me. I am trying to be patient and see that for many people it is really four to six months toward extinction. I faithfully follow the golden rule of taking my Nal 1 hour before drinking. The drinking experience feels different but there has been no dramatic reduction. Sometimes I’ll have 3 beers and be like I’m done - but not normally. I almost feel like I am drinking faster to try to get the old drinking high.

I have decided to increase my dose to .75mg Nal before drinking. If there is no improvement is it possible to go up to 100mg Nal?


Brian

Brian, results on TSM can be very up and down and it's certainly not a linear drop in drinking. It's not unusual to chase the old high, but that in itself is an indication that TSM is working as it should. 6 weeks is still early days yet, it took me 6 months. The bulk of people seem to take 6-12 months to reach "Pharmacological Extinction" or indifference towards alcohol.

Here's where you can use habit busting techniques to help uncover the "Meh" towards alcohol that TSM slowly brings. Anything you've used it the past to dodge the drinks after drink #1 is all fair game. Certainly, don't sit at your "drinking station" with your drink in easy reach. Move it well out of reach, even a few rooms away. Keep a NA drink by your side. Don't drink when you're on the phone. Don't smoke when you drink. That's all just habit-busting stuff.

You might want to check out Options Save Lives, there's a little more action over there and a lot less spam:

http://optionssavelives.freeforums.net/

Thanks Joe!

It seems you are the only other person on this website. I’m going to check the other website you suggested. Your input is much appreciated. I’m losing faith in TSM as consequences of my drinking are beginning to mount. I’m not ready to quit TSM yet.

I'll see you over there. I go by the same screen name on OSL.