This is weird, I've been on nalmafene since early Nov 15, it's been going fairly well and I've been having counselling with Jo C3, but as I've been away on holiday and she was ill before I went I haven't had a session for several weeks. I've just been skiing in a Chalet where the wine (my drink of choice) was included. Apart from one night only had a couple of small glasses each night, then last two nights didn't feel like drinking, didn't take nalmafene, I'm home today and still don't feel like drinking, so that will be my 3rd AF day. Is this too good to be true? I'm feeling a little puzzled as I wasn't really pressing for AF days it just seems to have happened, but maybe being away has broken a pattern I have, which has been having a beer when I go out with my dogs in the evening then a couple of small glasses of wine when I get home before bed, this in itself has been a vast improvement for me, although I've still had the occasional evening when I've had about 8-10 units. I'm hoping this is another turning point, has anyone else had this kind of reaction/progress....... I'm really hoping it will continue. Thanks in advance.

Boo,

I am so happy for you!

I love hearing TSM working like that!

Maggie had the same experience, for one day she just didn't feel like drinking. She still feels that way, so hopefully this is your turning point!

Keep us posted,

Jaba

Boo, if you're not getting the craving on those days, that's very good evidence that the extinction process is proceeding apace. You're over three months in and three months is the earliest that the extinction process would be complete (per the book).

Thanks to you both! It feels amazing at the moment, will keep posting.

Yeah, if only it worked for all of us like the book claims!

Boo,

I am so excited for you, and I bet it does feel amazing!

Jaba

That's the way it works Boo. Pretty cool isn't it?

I still have a very strong habit of drinking. I guess when you drink pretty hard core for 25 years it's not an easy habit to break. The Naltrexone in accordance to TSM pretty much cut the opioid response out of the equation from day one but then i was left with this nasty habit of wanting a drink to fit particular occasions. Of course ANY occasion is good enough to drink for me But you know the typical for example come home from a hard day of work or come home from a nice day of skiing or what ever and you want to settle in with a nice drink. Of course prior to TSM settling in with the nice drink meant that one drink lead to another and I'd be drunk before 8PM. TSM took care of 'the chase' but I still have the habit.

After about 5 months of doing TSM I decided to just try and see what an alcohol free day or two would be like. Before TSM it would most certainly be a day or two of suffering as I detoxed so I prepared for that and waited... and waited... and waited... but it just never came. I didn't suffer one ounce. Not one bit. I could not believe it. So it was really at that point for me that I started to notice that I really don't physically and or mentally desire alcohol anymore, I just don't! I'm still left with this nasty little habit of wanting to drink based almost entirely on the many many years of doing it but it's completely different now. I can take it or leave it just the same.

First of all, Boo, Congratulations!! That's just wonderful I'm so happy for you.

And Ocean, that habit thing you're talking about? You might want to try the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy book for alcoholism that's helped me. It specifically discusses things like 'triggers' -- which are just what you're talking about -- home from a hard day and 'deserve' a drink, celebrating something and a drink will make it even better, etc etc. etc. Then it leads you on to examine your thought processes after that 'trigger thought' and helps you try to come up with an actual, physical list of healthier replacement thoughts or activities.

Lemme find the name of that puppy again. It was really very helpful. Hold on:
The Addiction Recovery Skills Workbook: Changing Addictive Behaviors Using CBT, Mindfulness, and Motivational Interviewing Techniques (New Harbinger Self-Help Workbooks)
Suzette Glasner-Edwards, Richard A Rawson

$9.43 for the kindle edition on amazon and you can read it on your computer.

Thanks for that Optimist I will check it out.

Well im hoping that feeling will come back again like Ocean I think a lot of is just habit and Im ging to look at that book too. Im still delighted with my progress Im only drinking very moderately, but still most days, but soooooooooooo much less than I did previously.
It has become clear to me though that I can proactively change my habits I just need to get on with it. Keep posting.....

Good to hear from you again, Boo! Sounds like you're doing well, keep on with it!

Are you fitting in any endorphin-releasing activities on your 2nd AF day in a row? That helps replace the drinking habit with a good habit that you want to learn, as your opioid receptors are very sensitive at that point. Lots of people use exercise for that, but a spicy meal works, maybe a really nice massage, sex, hiking, watching a really good comedy, etc. This is mentioned in the book under "Selective Extinction".

Nal on, Boo!