Hey guys,

I've been a drunk for a while (24 years). Professional Musician allows me access to everything. But I always was just happy with my booze,..Pot scared me and I was Definitely NOT A Coke head or interested in heroin. So I was a garden variety alky.

I was sober for 4.5 years in AA when I was accidentally served a gin and tonic (Literally,...I asked for club soda and lime). I was not going to meetings and drank it...it tasted so damn good. Well over the next 3-6 months (which oddly they say you will be your old self if you don't take the meds on TSM when you drink),..I was back to my old habit. That's where I differ with the studies, They say that we cannot have a cured brain without the extinction. I think with some people it happens naturally over time and then if I had Naltrexone on my relapse,..it would've been a hiccup. Instead I ended up wasting the last 3 years drinking and doing my old habit.

I am on night one and feel the effect of the drug but I will do the program to the T. SO far I have had 5 units and a 25mg dosage of Naltrexone. Is anyone interested in organizing a convention where we could all share and swap stories? They do it in AA...why can't we.......Lets start a thread called "Convention"

Hi Jim, glad you're here and there's a lot great people here going to the cure. TSM is so new here in the US that we are what you would call pioneers, hopefully years from now we won't have to go on boards trying to figure out how the cure works. I believe in a Higher Power but I think He made a way of escape with Higher Power and TSM instead of a Higher Power and abstinence. Good luck on your journey and post often so we know how you're doing, we're all doing it together.

Welcome Jim --

I just got back from a trip to Vegas with a bunch of old friends from high school -- class of '82. Every year 14 of us pick a city and meet up for a weekend of partying as we are all now spread out all over the country. Anyway, most of us are HFAs but one of us became completely abstinent. After at least ten years with no drinks, about five years ago he began drinking once a year at our annual gathering. I believe he is completely "cured" without extinction. He now drinks like a "normal person" and cannot have more than three or four drinks without getting ill during the one time he drinks at our annual gathering. He has NO INTEREST in alcohol, other than when he has a few the one time each year he meets with us. And this was a guy who in high school could drink a case of beer by himself and drank like that for ten years before quitting.

I love the idea of a "convention" but for that to work, you have to have more than five people show up. As noted above, we are the pioneers and almost no one knows about TSM. But it IS WORKING -- people are getting "cured" here on a regular basis. And it's up to us to spread the word.

So, welcome to the board.

Nick

thanks guys and gals...

7 units in. had a small panic attack before my first drink..am fine with a few,,,,take caRE...JIM

8 units and 25 mg of Nal, I don't want more because I am a night time drinker and the effects scare me...I was told that this was ok...thanks, Jim MArk

Jim --

When you say the "effects scare me" what do you mean exactly? That you are anxious? Are you anxious while drinking on naltrexone? BTW, anxiety is listed as a possible side effect of naltrexone. For me, the anxiety only happens when I'm hung over after drinking on naltrexone. I never have anxiety before or during the drinking. But, as we have shown time and time again here, side effects on naltrexone totally vary from one person to the next. I will say this: in addition to extinction, which is one form of unlearning a behavior, I am also experiencing punishment, another form of learning. Punishment in the form of horrific hangovers where I am afraid of my refrigerator I'm so damn anxious. The difference between extinction and punishment is this: extinction removes positive reinforcement which then alters behavior; punishment introduces a negative stimulus (for me anxiety-riddled hangovers) which alters behavior. The good news for me about the hangovers is that I'm getting a double-dose of factors that are making me unlearn my addiction, extinction and punishment.

Nice Nick,....Just read your post. Quite astute I might add.

I got anxiety after taking the pill but again,..since I've been on now over a week, I think it was partially psychological. I am fine now.

I've sadly had to hide my drinking from the mrs. She has a bad nose which is nice but I wish I didn't have to do that kind of alcoholic behavior....

I had her read Julia's story in the book because it was a married couple and she was mad because they were commending her cutting down. So for now, I have to let her believe that Nal is reducing my cravings and I am getting cured by a magic sober pill. I also have to lie about going to nooners (AA), but I'm sure she'll forgive me in 6 months as we share a glass of wine together...BEst to all and thanks for being here,...it makes a world of difference and I don't feel alone at all....

Jim nice to meet you here, and you are absolutely right, you are not alone here at all