I am actually enjoying this new-found control over alcohol and I still like to have drinks. I notice most people went alcohol free and then knew they were cured. Just curious if anyone continues to drink with TSM and still enjoy drinking? I'm wondering if I'll just suddenly not want to drink anymore or if that doesn't happen to everyone.

I can still enjoy drinks that don't taste strongly of alcohol or at least have distinctively pleasant flavors--good cocktails, mixed drinks, or wine. While out for Mexican food last week, I had a margarita and loved it.

But my enjoyment of beer, previously my drink of choice, has gone away almost entirely. I'll still have one sometimes if I'm having a drink with a friend (it's usually the cheapest option, and I'm there for the company rather than the drinks anyway), but it's a bit of a slog.

I too, love, love, love .......this new found freedom of being more in control and having the ability to intelligently decide if I want to drink or not. Yes, I still enjoy drinking..... and like you, I have no idea where the nal will ultimately lead me. What I'm finding out as the fog lifts more and more..... we are living a life that is a true miracle. One that maybe the alcohol partially hid or didn't allow to shine like it should have. So many good and interesting things exist that deserve our attention. As the time not spent on drinking gets re-directed to these things. We have an ultimate freedom to express ourselves. It's like being reborn and I consider that a great gift. Ty TSM and a loud Yea! Btw, You sure are doing good Sober, I feel like you and Magda did a complete 180. Congrats

Thanks for the information, guys. Plantpr0, I also feel like I've done a 180. I used to always do 360's. So I guess that a helluva a bit of progress! I'm so happy that this is working for me. I never expected it to work so well or so fast. Like I've said before, if drinking an average of 4 beers once or twice a week is the farthest I ever go with this method, count me in. Because it really makes all the difference!

I didn't suddenly not want to drink anymore so much as I realized I didn't much care either way. Naltrexone doesn't block the increase in GABA that you get from alcohol, so it makes perfect sense that some people will want to continue to enjoy alcohol for its relaxing effects just like all the other moderate drinkers in the world. I don't think being a teetotaler is preferable to being a moderate drinker - both are non-problematic relationships with alcohol.

I have found that the ability to drink moderately on naltrexone to be empowering, as is the ability to be around alcohol and not care for any. Like Plant always says, you never know where you're going to end up with this thing.

FWIW, I don't think of myself as a teetotaler. I drink if I want to. I just seldom want to.

It has been a few months but ill probably have a few drinks this weekend. I am starting to feel my cravings return and need to take a nal + alcohol to take care of that. The side effects for me are severe enough that casual drinking is out.

You know, you might have stopped too early. So might I, for that matter. It's bound to take some time for the brain to be reset to a nonaddicted state; maybe quick responders would be wise to force themselves to drink socially for at least a while.

Well I dont know that total abstainers were studied so hard to go by anything but conjecture. I believe the "cure" counts if you are under the WHO "healthy drinking" limit. Having an occasional drink would likely be seen as uninteresting by drs.

Heres my pattern of AF since I have started TSM.

6 days,
1 month + 2 days,
3 months + 10 days,
1 month
almost 5 months currently.

Looks like there is a trend there and I cant say that forcing some extra drinking days would do anything. I mean, to this day, 10 months later, I have only had five pills. Someone mentioned something lately about rats and a five pill cure. Hmm.

When I started NAL in March the thought of not drinking at all terrified me. I couldn't begin to imagine a life without alcohol. I figured if I could just get control, have a max of 2 or 3 glasses of wine with dinner every night, -I'd be happy. Fast forward 6 months and I have no interest in alcohol at all. Over the last month or so I twice had 2 glasses of wine with dinner, and in both cases I regretted it! Talk about a 180! I allow myself to drink if I want (with NAL of course), -but I never want to. There is nothing forced about it at all. I just plain don't like alcohol any more!