Welcome Virginia. I posted on another of your threads. Nick and Krazy here said it all, as usual. Your units don't seem 'casual' to me, and certainly your thinking and habits toward alcohol qualify you for this Method. I look forward to watching your progress, as you are similar to those who participated in the COMBINE study. I'm betting you'll have very quick results!

Well, well, well.... thank you for uneducated doctors

Thanks for all the advice on getting the prescription. As it turns out, I told him what I wanted, he looked it up in a book, said he didn't know much about alcohol treatment and wrote a 6 x 30 pill prescription!!! I printed the article (thanks Nick) and had my book and had counter arguments to everything I could think. Yes, I was ready for a test....

Now I can't wait until tonight to start -would start right now except need to be driving in a couple of hours. Not even sure if I want to drink (yea right) but want to get side-effects out of way, hopefully by Saturday since we have a beach weekend planned.

Feel so hopeful and great and excited -

May post more on this topic later but just wondered if anyone here has a spouse / significant other who does not believe that you have an alcohol problem... Mine does not think I have a real problem and won't really discuss it with me. It only gets discussed when I'm drunk - apparently, it's a hot topic then. I bring it up, not him. Last night, we got home late from doing kid stuff and I was just waiting, waiting, waiting to have a drink but to him, it wasn't an issue so I mustered some will power and sat in the kitchen until it was bedtime. Tonight I can drink and have to so the treatment will begin - in a much better mood as a result...

Victory! Congratulations. I really think the New York Times article should be brought to every new doctor who will be asked to prescribe naltrexone. It is more persuasive than anything because the Times has HUGE credibility throughout the world and every doctor has heard of the NY Times.

And YES, I had a former spouse and friends who always poo-pooed my alcohol problem because I'm a lawyer who makes the mortgage payments. That's fine but that's NOT THE TEST for alcohol addiction. For years those close to me thought I had no problem and that attitude DELAYED my treatment and therefore was a disservice to me. You know the test: if you are obsessing over alcohol and it is interfering with your daily life -- and, if you continue to drink in spite of negative consequences - PROBLEM! Only you are in a position to identify it and you have, quite clearly. The problem is that most people think of the homeless guy on the street as "alcoholic" -- if you have a job and show up you are fine. That may have been the test in 1950 but it isn't today and has no merit whatsoever.

Well, my issue was different. I kept telling my BF that I had a problem, and he 'poo-pood' me. It wasn't until I discovered TSM, and told him of my plan to follow it, that he admitted that he had a problem, and wanted to join me! Silly me. I hadn't recognized his drinking as an issue - he was afraid if I admitted the problem and got better, it would come between us. Now, we're in this together. Is that great, or what?

Truth is, most alkies know very well when/if they have a problem. Being in denial is more rare than we think - though we might deny it to others.

Question: does your husband drink? Would he feel threatened himself if you were to quit?

My husband drinks and will tell me he keeps it under control and for the most part, he does, especially compared to me. He'll leave a drink with it half-full and just seem to forget about it and is rarely even tipsy. On the rare occasions that we go through 2 bottles of wine, he really suffers - I can push through it

I told him about TSM and he was immediately concerned that I wanted to quit drinking altogether (HELL NO) but he hasn't read the book even though I asked him to just read a chapter. Also have a theory that he thinks taking medication is 'weak'. Years ago, he quick smoking (cigs and pot) on his own and he credits it to his version of a higher power - basically athletics and then when we had kids - well, as much as I love my kids, it doesn't make me not want to drink though I try to hide it more.

His family also doesn't have alcoholics running through every branch like mine does. One member is sober with AA now (9 months) and is very interested in my progress with this.. after I successfully go through this, I plan on broadcasting this to the family members that I think will be receptive..

Thanks for the opinions!

Everyone is so helpful - can't wait until I have some time on the program and can provide words of wisdom for others

I'm betting your husband is more dependent on alcohol than you realize - perhaps not addicted, per se, but counts on it in social situations in order to have a good time. Believe me, our spouses are more aware of our level of dependence than we know, or they often admit. He may be fearful that if you don't "party hearty" any longer, he's gonna get stuck in (what was that movie where everything turned to black and white, and life was so BORING? Can't recall. . .) PLUS, he probably likes the less inhibited you.

Hi Virginia & welcome!
Lots said here & I concur. I found some commonalities w/ your "rules" - isn't it funny. I'm sure we all have them. Lucky you to have a spouse who doesn't think you have a problem!

Good luck to you & will be int'd as you go thru this.

Interesting enough, when I took my first dose and said 'Here's to the end of the addiction', my husband actually said he had been concerned since alcohol addiction is so strong in my family. Then he dropped the bomb and said he had been trying to give me subtle hints that I had a problem... HELLO?????????????? WTF???????? Yea, so subtle that I never picked up ANY hints. Those hints must have come when I was past the point of remembering anything.

Well, I told one of my kids that I was doing this and now I really feel pressure for it to work. Maybe telling was a mistake.....had intended to keep it quiet until I saw some results but after a couple of drinks, just started blabbing..

Houtx, I saw in another post that you were leaving the board?? Are you still following TSM? Or am I just way behind in reading posts?

Hi Virginia,

Glad you were able to get started! As far as telling people about TSM, I would suggest that you be cautious about it. There is a tendency when we start TSM to be SO excited that we want to spread the joy. The problem is that even when you explain that it takes months, our loved ones can become even more impatient than we are. Just make sure you make it clear that this is a LONG process - possibly longer than the 3-4 months mentioned so often in the book. There is a reference to the fact that it will take AT LEAST that long, but I feel it's not emphasized enough throughout the book - (my opinion). The better fact to focus on is that it may take up to 6 months. I feel so stongly about this because several of us (mostly heavy drinkers), are finding this to be true.

As far as houtx, I don't think she can bear to leave us for long , but she became very frustrated reading about everyone's progress when she saw no changes for herself. I too have been, and continue to be, frustrated by how slight and slow the progress has been. It's especially hard to remain positive when sudden spikes follow a decline in drinking and craving levels. The truth is (at least for some of us), this will be a long and bumpy ride. Just be prepared for lots of ups and downs, and don't get discouraged. Everyone here is incredibly supportive, and will hold you up when you feel like sinking. So pack for a long trip, but at least you'll have a lot of fun passengers to help you pass the time - Cheers!

Not that anyone asked, but I completely agree with WTE and KK: be VERY cautious about who you tell about TSM, if anyone. Why? Because it sounds like a complete con job on its face, "drink your way sober." A bit like suffering from huge credit card debt and having the cure be, "go max out all of your cards and win back your financial freedom." It sounds preposterous on its face! However, the SCIENCE behind drinking yourself sober is ROCK SOLID, but most people will not have the time or patience or interest in "getting it." I would only tell people on a "need to know" basis. Otherwise, the vast majority of the feedback you will get will be negative. Toss in the fact your progress will not be linear and it is a recipe for quitting an invaluable treatment plan that works for at least 80% of those who try it.