Yes, I did have 43 but for weeks was drinking at 20 or so. Progress on the method is all over the map and is not linear. And BTW, 50 pre-TSM was a wild guess on my part. If I'm being honest, I would say it was more like three days a week of 20 plus, so probably closer to 60-70 but I'll never know for sure.

Also, TSM benefits you in other ways besides numbers. Since starting, I've had two blackouts -- I used to have them weekly. I remember conversations and I am in control when I drink -- I do not act stupid like I did before. Also, the recent spike was due to some personal triggers and is somewhat of an aberration. Also, I used to have two days a week where I had the alcohol blues so bad that I did not function. That has only happened to me a couple of times since starting TSM.

I encourage you to try it and don't just look at my recent numbers as discouraging. Read THE CURED list for some inspiration. The vast majority on this board are seeing huge drops in their drinking and consumption -- I'd say at least 80%.

My best,

Nick

The numbers in sig lines only tell a little part of the story. That's why a good number of us have stopped reporting them in favor of a general sum-up-ence of how TSM is affecting our lives. I was drinking (wild guess) 60+ pre TSM, and these days its around 14 drinks a week. But even with those reduced numbers, the biggest difference TSM has made in my life has been regaining control of when I drink, how much I drink when I choose to (last Wed I chose to have 11 drinks, had a great time and don't regret it). The alcohol blues are much less severe now because I know I'm getting somewhere, even when I feel rotten. And the stumble bumble slur factor is definitely better, judging from the reactions I've been getting from the ladies lately .

Point is TSM is a life-changing process, and many of the benefits can be hard to quantify, but they are there to be sure. Numbers and charts have their place, and I was definitely hooked on them for a while, but they are the "trees" whereas the overall improvement in quality of life is the "forest".

Man I am all over this then.

Oh and Nick, I didn't mean to somehow insinuate that you were not doing well, or that it was your fault or anything like that. I hope you didn't take it that way.

I drink at least 7 beers a day which puts me easily at the 50+ category. I hope to start TSM asap, and I will begin to post my results.

And I went out and bought the book today. I decided to NOT by that 12 pack tonight, but instead spend that $14 on the book instead. No worries though, I have wine in the fridge. Ain't it a weird ride?!?

Oh no worries, I'm not worried about me -- I was worried that you might be discouraged by numbers and therefore not try TSM. Please do not be. Read my progress report -- TSM has saved my life.

My best,

Nick

Pisces, so glad you sacrificed booze $$ and bought the book! I was wondering about that, quite frankly...but understand where priorities sometimes fall w/ some of us. Glad you got yours straight for the time it took to buy the book! LOL Actually I was going to volunteer to send it to you - thx for saving me the $15+ :-))

I am one of the original people on here and I have not updated my stats on my signature in forever b/c I really haven't seen the drastic changes the "cured" or close to cured have seen (and I think Nick is in that category). However, I have recently kindof rethunk everything and realizing I HAVE seen changes for the good. And while compared to some others, not the changes I'd hoped for at this stage, I am still going to count myself as seeing positive changes. I drinking less just b/c I am counting, being aware, and being conscious of my decisions on most nights. This "method' has changed my life if only b/c I am here, am doing it, am hopeful, and not giving up. I am sortof drinking less, and I am certainly not passing out on my sofa every weekend night...which is especially important when my teenagers are here for pete's sakes, which I have overlooked. I am BETTER!

I feel better about myself just because I am TRYING. So too, will you! And hopefully you will be in the 80% who actually/physically feel like drinking less on a regular basis and be even better than some of us who are just vaguely "better". LOL Not only that, your social life will improve signifcantly for the better. Keep in mind, pisces, this method is not telling you to give up drinking...you will hopefully drink less just because...and will see improvements, of course, as a happy consequence.

Good luck to you, welcome aboard and hope all goes well!

Thanks for the input. I am almost sure that I will do better on TSM. I am pretty much sick and tired of drinking. I really like drinking in social situations, because I am painfully shy (even though most people consider me the life of the party... go figure?!?). When I go out to bars, I really enjoy drinking, because it lubricates the conversation, and I just unwind, whereas otherwise, I would just sit there while everyone else is drinking, and... anyway, you get the picture.

But I think that I will do really well on TSM because I am going to come at this from a sort of A.A. combined with TSM. Sure, in the beginning I will most likely change very little about my habits. I will just take the pill, and proceed to drink as usual. But 4 months in, or however long it takes before I begin to have less cravings, I plan to really step up my behavioral changes as well. What I mean by that is, stop hanging out with my friends that I know to be absolute drunks. Only drink on special occasions, and no, "The Raiders of the Lost Ark is on TBS!" is not a special occasion. Basically, this whole "magic pill" concept isn't for me. I know that nothing in life is absolutely for free. Sure the pill will adjust your brain chemistry, and ultimately readjust your neurological pathways in your brain thus extinguishing the craving for alcohol. But if you just keep drinking, you will just keep drinking. To me there is more to it than just the pill.

I plan to stay the hell out of bars unless there is a reason for me to go there i.e. meeting friends. I plan to not keep a liquor cabinet full of twenty bottles of different scotch. I just want to shift the focus of my life away from alcohol. I think that A.A. (keep in mind, I've never been) has a lot of very positive points. Sure, ultimately it is a losing battle for those boys, because of the brain chemistry, but the guys I know who go to AA and NA all ended up getting into rock climbing, or some athletics, or submerging themselves in their music, or whatever activities they needed to replace those negative activities. I think there is a wealth of inspiration in that.

Take the pill, drink until the cravings are lessened, keep taking the pill when you drink, but do all you can to reclaim your life and get into something worth doing. I plan to join my local community theater as a set/prop designer or something (can't act, but all alcoholics love drama, right?!?). I want to join more groups that have a reason for meeting other than alcohol. And who knows, I bet I'll meet someone that is a hell of a lot more healthy for me. I just hope I can stay healthy for them (but that's way on down the road.)

My goal is to drink like my father drinks. He has a couple of beers while grilling out, and he only grills out maybe 6 or 7 times a year. He'll have a beer when people are over to the house, and again, that happens maybe 5 times a year. Basically, my dad could buy himself a case of beer, and it'd last him all year. Hell, if I could get down to a case of beer per MONTH, I'd consider that a roaring achievement!!!

deleted by BGH

Here are a few chapters from The Cure for Alcoholism in pdf format from the publisher. They are likely some of the best chapters in the book:

http://www.benbellabooks.com/cureforalc ... downloads/

Q