Hello Everyone, Recently I posted regarding my frustration regarding my lack of progress over these last 8 months. One of the responses I received was to the effect that NAL just doesn't work about 10% of the time. I understood that NAL always works as an opiate antagonist, however 20% of TSM participants just quit at some point. Am I spot on here? I will not quit, and I know full well why I'm not making more progress. I'm relying solely on NAL, and not putting forth much effort. I have a great many "reasons" to drink. Biz is awful, ex is suing me again, IRS is hounding me etc. The fact is though that drinking only gives me a brief respite and then my anxiety comes back 10 fold. I'm going to get stubborn about this, and just not drink for a while. A while being as long as I can. There are plenty of things I can do as opposed to wasting time drinking. Working out, riding my motorcycle, working harder at my career, are all more rewarding than downing beer after beer all the while knowing the behavior is both wrong and harmful. It's time to get down to business. Wish me luck!
Best,
Retread

It is impossible to measure, but it sure would be nice to know how many of the failures are due to non-compliance, i.e. not following the golden rule. I would bet the percentage is quite high.

For me (and many people I have read here) prior to TSM a single drink would produce absolute euphoria because the endorphin pathways in us had become 6-lane super highways. There was just no stopping at one (or 6!) drinks with a rush like that! With TSM my highway has been shut down. That rush is now nonexistent. Therefore, one drink doesn't inexorably lead to a second. In fact, it rarely does. What for? I know longer receive any "benefit" from alcohol. So I wonder what's up in your case that you still perceive benefit. For me it's gone. I might drink at a gathering to blend in, but beyond that, as I said, I no longer receive benefit, so what for? That rush is extinct.

My question would be: how, after taking NAL, does alcohol help you? I understand how it could have helped pre-NAL and TSM, but after 8 months on the program?

If the op is having rebound anxiety, then it is a GABA issue.

Well here is the thing from my point of view. I have just finished 15 weeks. I have been 99.98% compliant. Meaning exactly this: I have taken nal every time I have had a drink, and I have waited one hour before drinking. The ONLY exceptions are two times I waited only 45 minutes, and one time I am not sure, but I THINK I forgot to take it, and I had only one glass of wine after that.

BUT, after I have a drink, I still DO want another. I still do feel that rush/euphoria. It is not the same, exactly, but it is still there. So for me nal hasn't been the magic bullet that it has been for you and some others. I keep waiting for that to happen.......

And I should add, I have not had more than one week with 3AF, most weeks 1AF or 2 at most, so that it a LOT of days taking nal and exactly following the golden rule.

Still, I am planning to nal on.................Newlife

Having been through TSM, I can tell you that without question, drinking less leads to drinking less. NOTHING is as important as that in achieving success with this.

I don't believe it's possible to develop a new relationship with alcohol, unless you actually stop abusing it.

Hope that helps!

Words of wisdom, indeed, Guapo. Newlife

Hi Mason. What is a GABA issue?

ME TOO Newlife !! I still have 4 when I drink - or 5 sometimes! I don't exactly feel a rush - but do feel something - just not sure what it is. I am having way more AF days though - this week alone I had five which is unheard of for me - so that is a good thing, but the two days that I did drink, I had 5 each time ! I must try and be more aware of having that next one I think ....

I do not understand the Gaba thing either Retread ....

Hugs, Maggie x

I am on my 7th month, have religiously taken my NAL, have had not one AF days, and still get a bit of "something". I definitely relax......so goodness knows what's happening to me.

What I will say is I have slowed down and take longer to drink a bottle of wine than usual. Sometimes I pour some down the drain (what a waste of money) but I have to go through the ritual of buying it.

I am going to plough on though. My doc seems OK about it, and the nurse says I am drinking like a normal person. (But I didn't tell them about last weekend when I got completely hammered!! Not happy with myself.......

Anyway, what's the alternative, stop the NAL and get hammered every day?

I'll respond at the risk of again being branded heretic. In the words of Mason..."We need to do our research." There are other pathways to addiction than the opoid receptors. The GABA receptors are not addressed in TSM and there may be equally effective ways to treat them. Mason is applying some of this newer knowledge and not limiting herself to THE BOOK. Research, people! Google! I would love to see some of you long-struggling people try DHM for instance.
Just saying.
Steve.