hello! i'm so glad this community exists. i don't know anyone else, IRL, on TSM. i found about it through my own desperate research and found a doctor to prescribe me naltrexone. even my therapist, who specializes in addiction therapy, had never heard of it until a few weeks ago when i told her about it as soon as i found out about it myself. she has since watched one little pill and is currently reading dr. eskapa's book (as am i), and supports this journey.

i do have some questions.

1) how do i count my drinking? i'm honestly not sure how much i used to drink - anywhere from 6-10 jack and diet's a night. a shot here and there too. (i binge - don't drink every day). i've only drank 4 times since being on TSM. i need to go back and remember how much i drank each time since i started on 10/19.

2) last night was my 4th night drinking. the first 3 times i was elated and so thrilled with the results. i feel like i got drunk, but not hammered like i used to. i didn't even wake up with hangovers. however, last night i felt like my old self. i didn't want to stop. i got really drunk. i woke up with a terrible hangover and called in sick. it's discouraging.

3) are there any events, get togethers, etc for people on TSM? of course, this forum is great - i'd love a real-life way of connecting too.

Hi Rachgsmith and welcome to the community!

1) You can use pretty much any standard, as long as you stick with it throughout. Here's a link to NIAAA's web page about the subject:

https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-healt ... dard-drink

2) TSM is a roller coaster and your drinking will go up and down, but vectoring down overall. This is why it's important to keep a diary/spreadsheet, as people do get spikes in their drinking on
TSM and it's important to keep perspective. Here's a copy of a spreadsheet and graph if you don't have one:

http://optionssavelives.freeforums.net/ ... graph-tool

NB, hangovers from drinking on Naltrexone (Nal-overs) can be fierce. Note also, for TSM to work, you really don't need any more than one drink per session. Some get Nal-overs from just a few drinks though. In some cases switching the type of alcohol helps, (i.e. white wine or beer instead of red wine), but if you have a relatively big night of drinking, the next day you may suffer. Overall though, it really helps to drink mindfully and ask yourself frequently if you really want that next drink. If you don't, then take that cue and stop drinking for the night. A good part of TSM is re-learning to listen to your conscious mind tell you that your brain is satisfied with the amount you've had, then acting on that. The conscious mind has gotten so used to being ignored about this, that it's gone off into the corner to sulk and eat worms because nobody will listen to it. TSM will help you hear that "voice of reason" again, bit by bit.

3) There aren't any face to face meetings, but this idea comes up every once in a while. If you're in a major city, there may well be others using TSM in your area and you may be able to put such a group together. I think some folks over on Options Save Lives did so recently.

welcome and stay the course. you will have swings up and down in your drinking, but over time it likely will continue to decrease and the desire just won't be there. for me it is harder and harder to get drunk. good luck!