I am looking at the members' shrinking weekly drink tallies and have one important question.

When taking this medication, is the method basically drink whenever you want until you don't want anymore (both in terms of taking the first drink and the amount consumed in a day)?

In other words, does this method ever employ basic will power and sheer determination, such as when one is on a diet or when one quits smoking, to achieve regular AF days or even to become AF for life?

Thanks for your answers in advance.

Hi trying. Welcome to the forum!

You posted in "concerned spouse." Are you doing TSM or is a loved one?

The answer to your questions are sort of and yes. According to the TSM gurus, you should keep drinking as you normally so -- at least in the beginning weeks/months -- to allow naltrexone to slowly dismantle the reward circuit in your brain that links alcohol with pleasure (endorphins).

Many people find that, eventually, some will power or habit-breaking is helpful in undoing daily or weekly drinking patterns. But that point typically comes many weeks or months into the process. A few lucky folks are what we call "super responders" and see their drinking numbers drop quickly and stay down. Most others, it seems, take longer. Give it 6-12 months.

This is a thread with lots of basic info:
viewforum.php?f=5

It's important to track your daily/weekly drinking to chart your process over time. The "golden rule" of TSM is naltexone + wait one hour before drinking + patience = regained control.

Best of luck!

Hi Trying.

Naltrexone resets the brain to its pre-alcoholic state when the neuropathways were simple country roads and not superhighways of craving and addiction.

To do so takes time and how much time depends on one's age and the length of time spent drinking alcoholically. The golden rule is: Nal+Al+Patience and in time Willpower=Regaining Control.

Naltrexone will remove the preoccupation and intense craving for alcohol. But the habit of drinking must be dealt with via willpower and choice. But that part comes last.

One is to drink as he/she (ab)normally would after having taken Nal an hour prior. Triggers will begin to be extinguished. With ever sip, chug, shot and toss back one is that much closer to regaining control.

However, for me personally, it took 11 solid months of following the rule before I actually had a real handle on my drinking. Better late than never!

Hope this helps,

Ketchikan1

Just chiming in with everyone else. I think it really depends on the person when (how soon) they want to add moderation in the mix. It is really important to follow one's cravings so that you can extinguish them. So don't drink when you don't crave it, but do if you do (with nal an hour before, of course). Later on in the game, people spend a bit of time trying to parse out what is craving and what is habit. That's where the willpower comes into play.