Hi,

I was wondering, if cravings appear spontaneously at the sight of alchool or substance, why do someone need to drink with naltrexone? Unless the purpose is moderate drinking in the future, why not take nal only, and continue looking to the bottle or substance, without drinking? Nal would be targetting the anticipation, wish also releases lots of dopamine and what makes someone act out. If the brain notes that anticipation is useless, it would learn that with time, no anticipation, no craving is needed.

Another question is, after some days of nal, brain builds upregulation of receptors being more sensitive, if so, in AF, if someone has a craving, perhaps much more stronger than the old days before nal, due to upregulation, would this not be a risk of relapsing rock bottom? Since all know that craving sometimes are so intense that it blocks the thinking, and it could caught us by surprise, where at this point, we would not even think in taking nal, but only drink, and we would be at higher risk than before since the upregulation is strong?


Any thoughts?

S.H.,

It sounds like you may need to read or re-read the book. Sinclair explains the process and gives examples.

Taking the nal without drinking could mean eventually the cravings could return. That is what happened to me; however, everyone is different. If you can actually take the nal and "look for a drink" without drinking, maybe you do not have a problem. If I was looking for a drink I would find one, for there was not stopping me. Even on the nal the anxiety would be overwhelming to the point waiting an hour was hard.

On AF days, once you are "cured", there shouldn't be any cravings, and if there are cravings (by sight, sound, emotions, etc) it means you should take your nal, wait an hour and drink to extinguished those triggers.

The only danger (I can think of) of the receptors being in a state of up-regulation would be drinking alcohol off the nal. Never take the nal unless you plan on drinking, and never drink without the nal.

On this forum there is an example using a child in a grocery store check lane screaming for candy. The nal teaches your brain to forget about the pleasure and stops the screaming child...and that can only happen by drinking on the nal.

There are studies out there using abstinence and taking nal that show a very low success rate (there might be links to them on this forum).

This process is a personal experience and is different for everyone, but it does work.

jaba, i see your point, but what i know that according to the sinclair method is that "you can actually take the nal and "look for a drink" without drinking" ->for one hour, and still have a problem, right? Or perhaps you dont have a problem at all, because after all, you can look for a drink during one hour, wait and drink only one hour after.

"Look for a drink while without drinking". That sounds like craving a drink, but not having a drink until one hour after taking the pill? That's not a problem. Craving a drink and actually drinking are two different things.

craving a drink and drinking go hand by hand, i think. My problem is when you have your receptors upregulated on AF, most posts i see in this forum, says it is dangerous to drink when the effects of nal worn off, since now the receptors are upregulated and the buzz while on alchool would reinforce it much more strongly than ever. My question is what about having a craving when the effects of nal worn off? Are the cravings worst? if so, why would someone engage in such a risk of NAL AND SM? But if the cravings dont get worst when the receptors are upregulated, would the risk be only to get a drink? That would be two different thinks. If not, SM and NAL are for "dead mans walking" waiting to be shoot at first sight (craving).

Unless the cravings dont activate on these new receptors, but are only activated on the old ones. I need an accurate answer on this, what happens in most of the time in this situation on the majority of people? Any idea?

I'm not quite sure I follow you, but craving on Sinclair Method goes up and down. Often, when someone's drinking level reaches a new low spot, the brain reaches out harder for it's "favorite toy" and drinking levels go back up, then back down again. I never worried about craving, I simply responded to it by taking the Nal and having drink 1 hour later. Craving is what you are hunting, drinking and Naltrexone are your bow and arrow. With TSM, craving becomes your prey.