Hi!

I am Scarlet and I live in the U.S. I have been struggling with alcohol addiction for a long time, about 9 years at this point. Currently I am in the midst of a cocaine binge. I don't want to minimize or make dramatic what I'm going through right now, the facts are that I am drinking everyday and have been for a few months, and for the past month I have been snorting cocaine for about 4 days a week. I am sad to say I am actually a therapist at an addiction treatment center, although I am dealing with an active alcohol and cocaine addiction.

Please do not condemn me for my job and being in the place I am. I am being honest here because I have not yet spoken to my therapist about this, and I only feel safe telling the truth to total strangers.

I have been studying addiction for a long time, and spent 2 years time in AA. That was 3 years ago. Since I left AA in 2013 I have been in and out of sobriety, but never able to remain abstinent, or control my drinking. The past two months I have been using alcohol again, but I have never been more in control of it as I have been recently. This I think is due to some personal improvements in my life. That being said, I believe I need to get actual control over my alcoholism.

I am writing to ask about the criticisms of the sinclair method. I am an avid reader about addiction (does anyone else read Lance Dodes? because I think he is awesome), and I am always a skeptic in the beginning of learning something new. The sinclair method fascinates me. I live in the south of Florida, USA, where addiction treatment is rampant, and is all based on the 12 steps. I am not an advocator of the 12 steps. I ask about criticisms because I want to make sure I get all possible information about this treatment, for the sake of myself and others. I will be calling a doctor on monday for a prescription to naltrexone, and starting this regimen.

Thank you!!

What are the criticisms of TSM? That's a good question because so far TSM is basically unknown among the general public and not used in alcohol treatment for the most part because of these criticisms. I'll start with what my own doctor said (and he is an addiction specialist) when I told him I wanted to try TSM. "Why would you want to do the very thing you are trying to not do?" In other words don't give an alcoholic alcohol to treat his addiction. Good point, but that's how extinction works.
Other criticisms (from the originrecovery.com website) include: you take a person who is hopelessly addicted to the feeling produced when they drink alcohol and ask them to take a medication that will block that feeling and you think the addict will just go along with it? And can you expect that same addict to ALWAYS take the medication as directed forever? And if they don't just once, their brain which now has increased opioid receptors due to the use of Naltrexone, the addict will REALLY get an intense high from the alcohol and decide to forgo TSM altogether and be worse offs hen when they started.
And if the addict is successful in elimination alcohol through TSM he will look for a substitute thrill, if you will, because TSM doesn't get to the heart of the problem, which is alcoholism isn't just a physical affliction, which TSM supposedly treats, but rather a spiritual malady which TSM cannot address. You must have a transformative spiritual experience to eliminate your desire for alcohol which is what only a properly executed 12-step program will recreate (according to the originsrecovery website, which is conviently a 12-step advocate).
These are the basic criticisms as far as I can tell that treatment industry providers will publicly acknowledge. This of course doesn't address the financial reasons for the criticisms which I think is at the heart of the matter. TSM could decimate the whole treatment industry if it became the predominate method of treatment. It is very simple, safe, inexpensive, doesn't involve any industry workers, and done correctly, spectacularly successful.

Nomore said it all really well ...... however, I am a success story - yes early days but I just do not want AL - at all! I also have not looked for anything else to take the place of the AL that I no longer drink! I did find it hard initially, just with my life in general as I had used AL as my release valve when I got stressed - and then suddenly did not have anything - the ironic thing is that I COULD have a drink if I wanted one - I just did not and do not want one! Sometimes I wish I did - but I cannot force myself to have one - which is really funny when you think about it (I think it is anyway).

As far as not always taking the Nal - I was determined that it would work for me - I think if you want it badly enough then you WILL comply with the Golden Rule - i.e. take it every time at least an hour before drinking. I never had a drink without taking a Nal - ever! I am not sure if that answers your questions along with what Nomore wrote - she wrote a good post! The nal is NOT a magic pill, nor is it a quick fix - it took me nearly a year, and I have friends here who are still struggling - but I do think it can work - however long it takes. you just have to be prepared to be patient - and have faith!

Hugs, Maggie

Hi fellow South Floridian. No lack of rehabs or temptations down here that is for sure. But to your question I will say that the biggest criticism that I have seen here is that it does not work fast enough or consistently. People who have had a 10-40 year AL problem want to be cured in 3 months of taking a pill! Not realistic that during that time frame you can make the physical and mental changes that will allow you to get control. I have been in this for just about a year and am very very happy with my results. I am not abstinent but I have control over my drinking on 99% of my outings.

There is a lot of up and downs with TSM. In my case, and many others, there has been a sorta 3 steps forward and one step backwards process. But it is a forward process overall. So if you job in -which I would highly encourage- as you have nothing to lose - just remember it takes time and will not be a straight path to success (although some have had immediate and complete success). Plenty of support here to help you out with any questions.

Welcome, Scarlet!

What I think TSM needs is people like you, in the industry, who can see how it works and spread the word. So many lives could be changed by TSM. It is not a magic bullet that works in three or four months, although it does work that way for some. Have you read the book "The Cure for Alcoholism" by Dr. Eskapa? If not, you should. The link to the book is on this forum somewhere and I can track it down for you if you want it.

Thank you for posting Deena! I am read the Eskapa book right now. It's quite repetitive, but I definitely feel like I under why it can work. At the same time, dr Eskapa says that there is an 80% success rate, but I can't find those stats anywhere else. Do you have any idea what the correct success rate is? I have seen and heard different things.

Thanks!

Hi, Scarlet.

Per the text (TCFA) Dr. Espaks reports a 79% _clinical_ success rate. Of those remaining 11% suffer compliance or side-effect obstacles. 10% are genetically predisposed in such a way that Naltrexone is ineffective. Interestingly, they have no alcoholism in the family and have an aversion to sweet solutions. I have my book loaned out right now, but the hard-copy has a large section devoted to the data and studies unless I'm mistaken. Anyway, _Clinical_ to me means ideal circumstances and a supportive, consistent environment fostering assimilation to the procedure. I would venture the guess that this includes some means of therapy as a component even though the text does not stipulate it. Admittedly, when the 'procedure' interacts with the unique circumstances of individual lives in the real world success levels are prone to diminish. To what? I don't know. There are so many variables at play and largely we rely on anecdata here on the forum. We never know what's truly going on and can only trust what we read. Further, unlike AA TSM success stories don't generally stick around. 'Why keep going to the hospital if you're not sick?' Or, perhaps alcohol is such a non-issue in their lives they have better things to occupy their time with. After all they're 'recovered'. This word in my opinion no longer need be indicative of perpetuity.

As a relevant side-note I have no idea what you personally can expect as a success rate. The bluring variables I mention would include snorting cocaine rather chronically. Please don't take this as an attack, but instead a poignant complication. I have no idea what that is doing to your brain or its endorphines never mind other chemicals different from what your brain would function as just on alcohol. And Dr. Sinclair to my knowledge didn't test rats addicted to both. Do you follow me? Uncharted territory.

I'm a little surprised you found the text repetitive. I don't think I've heard it described that way. In any event best of luck. I hope you find success with whatever you decide.

Thank you for your input! I will keep all that in mind

" It's quite repetitive, but I definitely feel like I under why it can work."

Yah, well you have to consider the audience might be kind of blasted/hungover/brainwashed by AA and sometimes you have to repeat things....

Go over all meds you're taking and make sure no opiates are involved, not even codeine. Naltrexone would send you straight into withdrawal and that can be dangerous or even deadly.

Go over this too, there's info about how to get started with TSM (start with a half dose on top of a meal, etc...):

http://optionssavelives.freeforums.net/ ... hints-tips

Are you a daily drinker at this point, or do you binge on alcohol as well?

I don't know if Naltrexone will block the Cocaine, but be sure that you don't try to chase the high if it does. That will be something to talk over with your doc, for sure.

Being in the biz yourself, you might want to take a look at Paul Turner's video, just for general orientation and support:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUv9fHoDvdk

Don't know if you've seen Claudia's TEDx talk:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=-9gMU_Lzsm4

Anyway, welcome on board! Hope you decide to have a run at it with TSM, I think it could really help you out. You'll be the first person in the industry that I've seen here, it would be great to get your take on things especially if you decide to try it yourself.

You might also want to check out The Upward Spiral by Alex Korb. Lots of good info in there on how the brain works and how addiction can lodge itself in there, info on how we process anxiety and stress as well. There are previews of it on Amazon and Google Books, gets good reviews on GoodReads too.

haha yes, it probably needs to be repetitive. It's so sad how unwilling people are to accept this as an alternative treatment. I will be trying to change that.

Thank you very much for the resources! I appreciate your time!

I hope you're own program is going well