It is Saturday Night. We are having a BBQ. Very easy to have a drink. No need to even hide it. But I had absolutely no interest. It has been waning over the past few weeks and I have almost been fighting giving up my alcohol. Drinking when I really didn't want to. But tonight I couldn't even talk myself into that. What the heck! I has been almost exactly one year. My drinking went down almost immediately. I haven't had a night of heavy drinking in that entire time. I just couldn't kick the every night habit. It just got harder to finish the glass of wine. I didn't need to "pre-game" when we went out. I hope this is the finale. The end. The only downside to the whole thing is that I am finding my relationship with my dh has been very strained. I think I am just standing up for myself more and asking for the respect I feel that I deserve. I think in the past my self esteem was so low I just took whatever criticism was thrown my way. No more. I guess I thought everything would just get so much better. But I am feeling so much better physically. I look better. I wish I could just hand out this pill to my entire extended family. What a miracle. Thank you!

Wow, that's really great news Memore! I guess the coming days will tell for sure, but it sounds like you have this thing whipped! Congratulations on the culmination of all your hard work and determination!

Memore,

Great news - all good. You have done this for you so if you feel better then there is no downside!

MD

SO good to read about Memore - it took me a year early too. I liked the way that you said that you had almost been fighting giving up the AL - I know exactly what you meant! Which is why it was so amazing for me when it finally worked! I do think it is hard to adjust to life without AL - I have not been drinking now daily, since beginning of December and it is only now that I feel that life is straightening out - I had a lot of readjusting to do AND I never really drank enough for blackouts and hangovers so it wasn't that - it was everyday life - relationships, so I know where you are coming from. I used to use AL as my safety valve and then did not have one - I actually got cross and irritable - before was always so meek and quiet.... it is a life changer! But SO worth it. Hubs said I had grown a back bone! LOL

Hugs, Maggie

Thank you Joe, moderated, and Maggie for your kind words. Yes, I guess I am growing a back bone. That is a good way of looking at it. It is just amazing to wake up in the morning with no hangover. How did I do it all those years? I am so fortunate to have found this forum and then a wonderful doctor that truly listened and helped me. No judgement. It is just so sad that not more people are open to the message. Or even get to hear about it. I have a brother I love very much who is an alcoholic. He is such a wonderful guy. I am really afraid for him. I have brought it up several times but with no luck. Again - although I don't post much - I did come here to get encouragement. So thank you to this forum, to Claudia, Dr. Sinclair, and my own psychiatrist.

Good for you Memore!!

Just wanted to say once again how much this has changed my life. I went to a family wedding this weekend. I was the DD for the rehearsal dinner. For the wedding, they provided transportation from the hotel to the venue. No one had to drive. Woohoo!! It was really pretty crazy. All I drank was the champagne toast. Social gatherings are big triggers for me because I have social anxiety. I might not have been the life of the party - but I really enjoyed myself and was not feeling like crap for days. I also wan't feeling humiliated. The funny thing is that the next day one of my sisters was talking about how we all drank so much the night before. I don't think anyone noticed that I didn't drink. Lol. Best part was I was able to have a discussion with a particular relative who is an alcoholic about the Sinclair Method and he is going to ask his doctor about it. We will see where that goes. Thank you again to all who have helped make this miracle possible. I also have not had a drink since getting home and have not wanted one. I even turned one down. Four days in a row! It hasn't solved every problem in my life but boy do I feel so much more positive.

Memore - your post gave me goosebumps! It was LOVELY to read it and see how well Nal has worked for you. It has been the same for me and I love when I read that it has worked for someone else - so thank you so much for coming and posting and telling us all. And that is great about talking to a relative and also telling them about TSM.

SO happy for you,

Hugs, Maggie

Way to go Memore!!! I'm so happy for you!

Memore, congratulations! I love hearing stories like yours!