I read the Allan Carr book before I discovered TSM, it made a lot of sense but it didn't stop me drinking. It is however a refreshing look at what alcohol actually is, and how as a society we've conned ourselves into thinking it's 'normal'.

So I have just finished the Allen Carr book, and its actually left me feeling unsettled not enthused.

I can totally get what he is saying, alcohol is a poison, it has no health benefits, it doesn't actually make you happy, quench your thirst, make you brave or sociable, I know and can agree with all of that. Also I can't see myself wanting to constantly taking Nal for the rest of my life, I don't like the fact it blocks my happy hormone receptors. So why does the idea of totally giving up make me feel weird, I am just not ready for it yet, but don't know if I ever will be.

what is for sure is I wont be able to do a bit of Allen Carr mixed with TSM, his whole thing is about giving up totally.

I guess that's where I am heading for to, from reading posts and also obvious to me on the film a little pill, people who have beaten alcohol through TSM certainly don't seem to enjoy it anymore, I think the Nal at that point just serves to allow them to drink rather than go through to awkward social hassle, it has an added benefit of attracting more people to TSM as no one in the grasp of an alcohol problem can even imagine giving up totally.

Someone once told me that the closest relationship an alcoholic will have is with the bottle(alcohol).

Losing something that has been a big part of your life is scary, and also can be a huge loss.

Social awkwardness is annoying, so I usually turn it on it's head and I am proud not to drink. If someone has a problem I will tell them straight "I was a mess and I was going to die".

That usually shuts them up.

I've also discovered there is a lot of respect for non-drinkers out there, and also other people who don't drink, or who are fine not drinking.

Also friends and social circles can change as your lifestyle changes.

I am sure you'll get to a place where you feel comfortable with whatever you decide it right for you.

Alcohol is not the enemy any more than eating 5 pieces of chocolate cake and risking a heart attack at some point. It is the abuse of anything (aside from eating a ton of celery) that can cause harm. The problem in my case was overusing something that can be harmful. I agree the best course of action for some is total abstinence but I also think there is such a thing as moderate and healthy drinking for some people. The Sinclair Method makes that possible. For me personally I felt the 70 units a week was obviously awful and detrimental. I feel very pleased in the "20's" a week now. Alcohol has some health benefits but not in the amount I was consuming. I like where I am at now but personally would like to be a 5-15 servings a week person and happy with that.

I also read the Carr book - and actually did stop drinking with it for a few weeks but of course started up again - as the book faded from memory!

I wanted TSM to work for me so that I could have a drink if I wanted one .... but in the same manner as a 'normal' (for want of a better word) person would have one. That is what I am aiming for ..... Nigelr, I so understand what you mean about the thought of taking Nal for the rest of your life .....BUT as I have found for the past five days, I didn't need to take the Nal - because I didn't want, or plan, to drink. I did actually notice that my 'happy receptors' were better - although not a lot, with me having no Nal in my system. But I do think that once my head gets around the thought of losing AL - as UKB said, as it has been in my life for so long - it is hard and scary to not have it there - in fact it is really disconcerting, but once I can get my head around it not being here - I think life will be pretty darned good !!! And having Nal in my system for the odd day here and there will not be a problem I do not think - so Nigel - no worries about it being all or nothing - I think as time goes on, it will all fall into place ..... at least I think that is what will happen .....

Hugs, Maggie x

Great points all the way around Maggie

I had pretty much the same reaction

I think it's enough to take that as the message & incorporate it into TSM. there are certain bits of the book - such as the physical pain of quitting being "like flu", rather than being potentially life-threatening - that drive me up the wall, but there is some good stuff in there too

-badger

well, his book makes drinking a lot less desirable if you listen to him. It certainly doesn't mean you have to stop as he suggests, but if you're trying to cut down or drink minimally, it helps a lot for that.

I spent some time on the moderation management forum, and it sounds like the success rate over there is abysmally low. That would be the perfect solution, but not a good track record. Since we're all here, we have a history of drinking too much, even though we don't want to, so there's obviously something amiss


Perhaps changing your view of alcohol from something good and exciting to something that has lots of bad consequences is a good step in the right direction.

You can certainly still drink taking the naltrexone. For many people, it keeps them from going overboard.

Ultimately, since drinking doesn't bring the perceived reward, drinking for that reason becomes pointless. Chasing the elusive sweet spot by drinking more or trying to drink just the right amount is almost impossible. Much easier not to even try, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy alcohol in the right setting, but not for that reason.

I still say that feeling you can take or leave alcohol does not come until you get past drinking every day. Your still addicted brain won't let that happen.

Firstly my update. I had 2 af days as I was out, and then drank heavily (ish) on the others

that's what started me on the Allen Carr book, the initial attraction of TSM is you don't have to do anything but the GR, for some that seems to work, but for me it isn't, or is slow. I think that might be to do with reasons we drink, or our mental make up.

Thank you SO much to all of you that have replied about Allen Carr book. I haven't decided to go totally AF, I am not in the right state of mind to do so, the trouble is indecision will allow the gremlin to win so in fact I am heading to carry on drinking unless I make a decision and stick with it. It might be my mental make up, I am very much an all or nothing person whether that is food, religion or drink, so I don't think using Allen Carrs ideas to drink moderaterly will work for me. I tried moderation management for 6 months and it failed too for me.

I am trialing an AF time though, last night was a break through for me, the first time for 6 months I have gad an AF day at home, we watch a movie and ate food, and normally I would have drunk a bottle and a bit. My thoughts at the moment are to be AF a bit and keep thinking, I would love to think I could moderately drink but I wont be able to long term

Pre TSM 30-45 un/wk 1af/wk us units
0 43/0 6 39/0 12 46/0 18 32/2 24 36/2
1 40/0 7 37/0 13 34/1 19 26/2
2 29/2 8 34/0 14 35/0 20 32/2
3 44/1 9 39/0 15 31/2 21 31/2
4 35/2 10 25/3 16 25/2 22 43/0
5 31/3 11 42/0 17 40/0 23 30/2

Hi Nigel.

The million-dollar question here, is what do you want to as a result of the TSM? Will following the golden rule and getting to the point of drinking minimally give you much enjoyment when you do drink? Would it matter ? Does chasing the buzz of alcohol matter?

Since moderation doesn't work, what is the alternative, forced abstinence? Studies of AA show a huge relapse rate secondary to being unable to deal with the cravings from having alcohol now the forbidden fruit.

When I started the process, I really didn't know what my goal was. I did know I would not follow a 12 step program, nor consider myself an alcoholic.

Continuing the way I was however, was guaranteed to lead to a catastrophic disaster of some sort. Now, TSM has resulted in little or no drinking, and when I do, it doesn't give much of a rush.

Not drinking is almost always preferable to drinking, as I don't get much out of it anyway. Not worth it. There's no good answer as to why drinking all the time seemed like such a great F-ing idea.

Had our wedding anniversary the other night, went out, had a good glass of wine, and a martini, but that was it. I didn't drink the preparatory bottle of wine throughout the day, and another bottle of wine when I got home, etc

It doesn't take a super genius, to figure out which behavior is better. Good night sleep, no sweating and tachycardia, no unhappy wife !

Maybe eventually I won't drink at all or continue the way I am. At least now there is a choice. Before TSM, I was stuck in a hell from which there was no escape.