So it's been half term holidays so not my usual routine. My other half has been off work so we've been having a drink at lunchtime. So ....I've taken my Nal an hour before (at least) but I now seem to be drinking as much as ever !!! ....what do I do !!?!
Xxx

Hope,

We all have had that feeling, and it will pass. Just keep following that golden rule and try to drink as slow as possible with those first 3 drinks (set a timer on your phone for 30-45 minutes if need be).

My theory is our brain is not accepting that "ah moment" isn't going to come, so it tricks us into drinking more (I am not a scientist or a health professional just a drunk). It has happened to just about everyone after the honeymoon phase.



Does that mean at times it has been longer than an hour? If not, the golden rule is the most important part of this. Your brain is wanting that "ah moment" and will do anything to get it. If you are not waiting that entire 60 minutes your brain could be feeling a little of those endorphins, just enough to delay in your progress.

Do you think you are ready for an AF day?

Jaba

Yeah a lot longer than an hour . I'm just not getting that 'don't want to drink feeling '

Hope,

The honeymoon is over, and now this is where the work comes in. You will need to slow down your drinking the best you can, and try to listen to your brain (easier said than done).

I am not sure how far along you are, but it took me about 16 weeks in before I noticed control.

Trust me, you can stop at three. It will be hard, but you can. Once you realize you have that control it does get easier. The nal will give you the strength to say no, but you have to stop putting the glass to your mouth (the nal cannot slap the glass out of your hand).

Once I cut down on my intake, it was like a switch was flipped. I am not sure if it was the length of time I was on the nal. or the fact I forced my intake down, but it worked. Just try to drink as slow as possible and set a limit (for me no more than 3 glasses of wine) and try to stick to it the best you can.

Jaba

Jabba .... The little one is back to school tomorrow. If you do r mind I will message you then xxxx

Your brain needs to be exposed to alcohol on Nal in a lot of different times and places so that it finally learns the reward from alcohol won't ever be there and gives up seeking it.

For now, it's saying to you, "Waaaaah, every time you drank wine before we got a reward! It's not working! Try the same thing that worked before, only harder! Turn the key! Call the garage! Drink more and see if we can get this clunker back on the road."

That's called an extinction burst, and it's a common part of the extinction process. The interesting thing about it is that's a time when the brain is open to testing new behaviors to get rewarded, because the old one doesn't work.

Jaba's experience has taught her a great hint. You can use this moment to teach your brain some new cues and behavior. Drinking slowly and noticing the taste, smells, what the glass and bottle and wine look like, replacing your focus on your craving with focus on something else. That may well help, although don't worry if it doesn't. The subconscious process is still working. You can even try weird things like always picking up the glass with your left hand in one drinking session, and with your right hand in another drinking session. Like slowing down and stopping sooner even if you want to continue, this sort of "odd" change alerts your brain that something new and different is going on, and kickstarts the learning process.