Well, I am 6 days into my Nal and the sinclair method. I have had 3 nights of total binges (one being last night) 1 night of 1/2 a beer and no more, 2 nights of a little control. I know it takes time but my mom (who is not really buying in to this) asked me a very interesting question. She said that after I get to a certain point in my drinking I just drink until it is all gone and have no concept of whether or not I want it or not. How is the Nal going to help with this? I just think i have to drink until I pass out or the refridge is empty. Does this mean I am going to be one of the "others" that this program can't help...I'm a little scared....

Several of us have posted a similar question though yours is very direct. I answer by saying that you are less then a week into this and very little extinction has taken effect.

If you read the testamonials in Eskapa's book (if nothing else, have your mom read these) you will see a lady whom I believe was named Julia (I don't have the book here). She sounded much like yourself.

Allow the process to work naturally. Track your drinking as best you can. And always take Nal before you drink. It will be hard to convince your mother that you are drinking to get better but that is the process.

You have jumped out of the plane and am in freefall. This is not the time to question if the parachute was packed correctly.



Gravity - not just a good idea. It's the law.

SG, please be patient with yourself, even if Mom doesn't understand. If possible, cut and paste and print out some of the progress reports here on the site, so Mom can read them. Nothing succeeds like success - and you're going to make it. We're all here to help one another on the journey!

SG,

Many of us here have the exact same problem with Alcohol that you have. Prior to starting the Sinclair Method, I would Binge 3-4 nights per week, whereby I would drink until everything was gone or I would pass out, which ever came first. My drinking habits are very much like yours.

No, you are not one of the "others" that this method will not help. This method WILL help you. I'm into my 6th week with this program and binging is still a problem for me, but it is becoming less of a problem week by week. I am still very much addicted to alcohol, but I've noticed a huge improvement over where I was 6 weeks ago.

Keep in mind that I'm only 6 weeks into a 16 week or so treatment. The data shows that the majority of those who use The Sinclair Method take 16 weeks, and possible more, for their drinking levels to drop 9 drinks per week on average.

If you don't already have Dr. Eskapa's book, get it and read it. I've re-read parts of the book many times now.

You will get discouraged along the way. I've been discouraged many times since starting, but then a day or so later I am encouraged by the progress I'm making.

The only thing you can do wrong with this method is not take your Naltrexone before you drink. Keep taking your Nal and chart your progress.

This is a journey that we are all taking together. Keep posting and sharing.

Good luck

Q

There are two components of alcoholism that The Sinclair Method addresses: The physical addiction to both alcohol and endorphins and the "drinking habit," which you just described above. The need for an endorphin rush drives you to drink the first one or two or three. The habit keeps you drinking after you've started - until whatever is on hand is gone. For me, the "habit" often drove me to the store for more if I ran out (bad, bad, bad).

When you first start the Sinclair Method and for the first few months, your drinking habits aren't going to change much. You might notice some decrease in drinking amount, but at this point you're really just breaking your brain's connection between alcohol and endorphins. After a while you'll notice that you just don't crave alcohol as often. Going without won't be the excruciating experience it once was. It is at this point that the habit begins to break down.

As you crave alcohol less often, you'll naturally drink less often. When you do drink, your habit will have changed. You might drink at different times, drink less, drink different things. This serves to unwire the habit. A single drink won't necessarily lead to more. You'll be able to drink without emptying the bottle or fridge.

It's a gradual process but for me it's worked. Don't be discouraged by how much or often you drink in the beginning. It's REALLY hard to have faith in this method because it takes so long to start working. But you learned your drinking habit over the course of years - it's going to take a while to unlearn it. It'll happen.

Thanks, N101CS for your encouragement here. We've missed you and it is so nice to hear from you again. Hope all is well w/ you!

N101CS, I ditto what houtx says here - the posts from the few Sinclairians who have made it through long enough to see a dramatic change in their drinking habits are very encouraging for those of us who have been at it for several weeks, and not seeing the kinds of change we're hoping for. You're a reminder that if we stick to it for the long haul, we'll get the results we so desperately long for.

Don't be a stranger. . .at least, not until there's a few more who have become 'veterans' enough to shine the light for those who are still just getting a start.

Something I'd like to add... Don't take this as being as bad as it might sound.

The change in my craving and drinking habits was/is significant, and I'm happy so far. But it was not as absolute and dramatic as I hoped and/or expected it would be. Sometimes I still "feel like drinking" and sometimes I even feel like "I need a drink". Perhaps that is normal and I'm overly-sensitive because I'm afraid it's a sign of backsliding. In any case, despite those occasional feelings, my drinking is down to safe levels and it's been with relatively few cravings & none of them particularly strong (at least in the last couple months).

There is no doubt that without Naltrexone and TSM, I'd have bad cravings (I've tried 'just quitting' - lasted a couple days before craving got the best of me) and wouldn't be sitting here at the computer totally sober. I cannot recall a single two-day period in the ten years preceding TSM that I didn't drink, usually to excess. For that matter, I doubt there was a single week where I didn't drink something 6 out of 7 days.

So I'm doing really well but I just sort of wish I didn't want to drink at all. I'm slightly disappointed that I'm not there yet.

My point is that you might not want to expect more from TSM than it can realistically achieve - otherwise you may be disappointed. You can expect it to help you gain control over your problem to the extent it's no longer a problem, but don't expect a miracle.

I think part of my problem is also that my wife still isn't on board with this, so when I do drink, I'm sneaking it. I'd much rather sip a glass of wine in the house - I'd probably stop at that glass. But I'm left scurrying outside and downing a miniature bottle as quickly as possible. This is the same pattern I followed before TSM. I'd love to break that, but she'd give me a hard time. She has no idea how stupid and counterproductive she is being.

I'd settle for that. Remember all, Eskapa reports that Sinclair's subjects CONTINUE to improve after the four-month treatment (to a mean of 9 units/week at three years); every other alcohol treatment shows the opposite: backsliding upon completion of initial treatment. So the best is yet to come, N101CS!!

It's a difficult situation RV- maybe with time when she sees you no longer falling around drunk, she will accept that you do have a drink or two most days.
I noticed the other day (when my BF came to the shop as I was closing) I said I was going back in because I wanted a drink to take home, he practically broke his neck, he turned round so quickly. I only wanted a coke- I already had my 2 beers in my bag.

It annoyed me because he has not seen me drunk for 6 weeks, and I had not had a drink when I said that- why shouldn't I take a can or two of beer home, I have long days, and it is nice to unwind- even normal people do that!
I have never told him I have given up drinking, because of course I haven't- he probably just assumes I have, because his inability to discuss things stops him from asking.

You are right- it is very counter productive and maybe it is time we stood up for ourselves.