houtx, don't be silly - two AF nights is fantastic! I've only had one since this journey began, and I'm beginning week six (today). We still have at least another 12 weeks to go b/4 we should start to fret over not succeeding. . .and THAT'S not going to happen.

I've noticed a significant drop in my alcohol intake this past week. I drank just a little over half as much as I did coming into this program, and am thrilled. However, my SO had an enormously stressful week at work, and consequently his drinking is nearly up to where it was. Last week he did far better than me. So you see, this is not a program where we can expect to see a consistently steady decline. There are going to be peaks and valleys. If we expect this to be the case, then we'll be less likely to become discouraged. Getting depressed and beating up on ourselves is, I believe, counter productive to our goals. Just go with the flow. . .(of alcohol )

Got an e-mail response from Dr. Pearlman, a well-educated (Ivy League) doctor who specializes in using pharmacological extinction, and The Sinclair Method, to treat alcoholism. I believe he's interested in joining the forum, and I'm hoping he'll bring some of his (many) recovered patients on board as well.

Yee-Haw!!! Onward, and upward!

Great to see your update. Keep up the progress!

I believe the thread you are referring to is the one where I suggested people chart their progress in their signature blocks for others to see.

As far as actually charting your progress, I follow the procedure outlined in Dr. Eskapa's book. I don't have my book with me at the moment, so I can't give you page numbers. Look in the chapter just before the first hand account stories, I think.

In a nutshell:
1. Create a diary for each day of the week so that you can record units drank and craving for that day (I use an excel spreadsheet);
2. Refer to a table/report showing how many units the beverage you are drinking equals. Dr. Eskapa's book has one and here's another: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unit_of_alcohol
3. Record your units drank as you drink them. Don't wait until the next day. It's too easy to forget.

While I agree that you shouldn't get hung up on the numbers, I do think it is of value to chart your progress. I have found it very helpful. Just don't worry about how you compare to other people. All of our bodies and drinking habits are different, therefore we will progress at different rates. Just know that your progress will roughly follow the extinction curve in Dr. Eskapa's book. The real variable is time. As SpringerRider says, put a big circle on your calendar 6 months out and just work the method until you get there.

WTE,

Go to your Dr. and tell him/her you are in an alcohol treatment program and you want to use naltrexone as an anti-craving medication. If you are denied and given a "voodoo, snakeoil response", then tell this Dr you intend to file a complaint against him/her with the appropriate State Licensing Board as Naltrexone is an FDA approved medication for the treatment of alcohol abuse. Yes, this is a bit harsh, but we need to start making a stand on the use of Naltrexone for treatment of this illness.

There is no reason what so ever for any of us to be forced to buy Nalrexone off the internet because our Doctors are too caught up in the "status quo" to do what we are paying them to do.

Thx to you all who responded to me -
I have actually felt REALLY down about everything lately. Just part of the stuff of life. Yes, a couple of days AF was good and I should focus on the positive. It's just kindof been hard...

Just stuff. Thx for the feedback. sniff...

Awww houxtx. Sorry you're down. Tell you what. I'll PM you with the details of all the 'stuff' I've been going thru for the past couple of years. You'll look at your 'stuff,' and feel much, much better in comparison! (Nah, can't do that. If I think about that 'stuff' too much, then I'll get down, too. . .)

*smile*

Remember the "Blind Faith". For us, it says so much. Stay on the method. The chute will open. We will be on the ground waiting.

So here I am, about to begin week 6. My drinking spiked back up again this week, but I'm not discouraged. I've decided to just go with the flow, enjoy the process, and record my progress. I really am confident this will work, as my feelings toward alcohol are undergoing a subtle shift. On most days prior to now I would have my first glass of wine anytime after noon, but generally around 2 p.m. as I bustled around getting ready for my sweetie to come home from work. Then I drank steadily through the afternoon and evening, consuming as much as 15 drinks overall on very heavy drinking nights. I had blackouts once or twice a week, and often forgot whole conversations with other people - or having seen them at all.

Now I might still have a glass of wine after lunch - but then I can quit until later in the afternoon or early evening. That would not have happened before! My consumption this week was high, but I drank each glass more slowly. There really wasn't the 'drive' to get drunk. I haven't had a blackout since starting on TSM (though if I watch a TV show prior to going to bed I might not recall the end of it), but overall my thinking is quite focused and rational, and I have good recall of events while I'm drinking. Prior to TSM I would get to a point on heavy drink nights where I became overly critical, esp. of my SO (who is the world's purest soul, and perfect partner). I'd say bossy and opinionated things to him and others that I'd later regret, and only have a dim recall of it. I haven't done anything like that since starting this program, either. TG!

So, starting week 6. . .and expecting even bigger changes over the next few weeks. (I have a feeling that week 8 is going to be a turning point. . .)

I don't know how, but I missed these few posts since I last visited...thanks agin for the support. And G4M, gawd - I cannot tell you how much I identify with the "functioning while blind" night time scenario. I cringe...

Have not had a SO to be critical of, but I have gotten myself into SOOOOOOOOO much trouble emailing crap drunk!!! O.M.G!!!!! Then cleaning up the next day. I can come across as quite erratic (not to be confused w/ erotic LOL) - with some of my men. Sick. I have died a thousand deaths.

Thanks Q, for the directions - I really wanted the one to update my signature but your details on keeping records of daily drinking refreshed my resolve. Thanks!

Yes, I think most single people (men and women) have done the e-mailing while drunk thing. I recall one morning getting an e-mail from a man I didn't know at all, and then seeing that I had contacted him via match.com the night b/4 and gave him my e-mail address. Ugh!!!! Not something I ever did. . .I'm paranoid by nature. He wasn't someone I was interested in meeting, but he kept popping up in my contact list trying to do a live chat. I finally learned to go on yahoo as 'invisible,' and it stopped.

Had a horrible night last night. Started drinking red wine about 2 p.m. I usually drink Chard, but my supply was low so thought I'd tap into the Cab on hand. Bad idea. I got snockered with only two drinks. . .then had another for good measure. My man Jake and I had a date to meet my sister and her BF for a fish fry, and I was in a tearful mood b/4 we hit the parking lot. Went in to have a drink and someone said something derogatory about me (probably meant to be funny?), and I burst into tears. Of course my sister and another lady friend came over to give me hugs, etc. . .but the damage was done. I spent the rest of the night beating myself up, and I'm still on and off tearful this morning.

I rarely get down on myself like this, but when I do. . .it's bad. I feel lower than a snake's belly, and wonder why I'm allowed to take up space on this planet.

This, too, shall pass. . .