I was active here for several months last year but had to quit because of work responsibilities - found once I got on this board, I'd stay on it the rest of the day, putting off work that really needed to be done. That work load hasn't gotten any lighter, so I decided to just cool it here, though I've maintained my use of Naltrexone whenever I drink.

The bad: very few AF days.
The good: I realize this is simply habit - I use AL to put a "period" at the end of the work day (which is quite intense). Most days I have really little or no craving or desire to drink. . .but pour that first glass of wine anyway, as it helps get me out of the "zone" I'm in when working. I love my work (a professional writer, among other things), but need time away from it for obvious reasons.

I used to drink 10+ glasses of wine per day. Now it's more like 3, and maybe 4 if we have a night out with friends. Quite honestly, I'm finding the extinction process to still be ongoing after more than a year, as a friend bought me a third glass of wine last Sat. night and I handed it to my sister - just didn't feel like drinking it.

Jake and I used to go out drinking 6-7 nights a week - that is down to 2 or 3. I enjoy cooking again!

I know the next step is to begin getting back into habits and hobbies that I used to enjoy during the years I was abstinent - I believe the daily dose of Nal has largely robbed me of the joy I used to experience when working with my animals, exercising, or working in my yard. I've decided to make this coming Sunday and Monday my first "official" weekly two-day AF days - who knows? I may just add Wed. and Thurs. since I truly do NOT have any great cravings or desires any longer.

I also plan to reconnect with all the many friends I've lost touch with since my drinking became heavy 3-4 years ago. Gosh we used to have fun, and I know they're perplexed as to what happened. What happened? I identified more with drinkers than with non, or moderate, drinkers.

Meantime I have taken up a new hobby that helps get my mind out of my work project at the end of the day: online poker! I play the free games, and won a tournament both last night and the night before - not bad for someone who only learned the game about 6 months ago - look for me on "High Stakes Poker" next year! Truthfully, I enjoy the new challenge, it definitely does get me out of the "work zone," and I'm competitive enough that I won't get smashed while at the tables. All good.

All the best to all the rest of you!

Goin4 (and getting) more. . .

That is a great report and thanks for posting it. It gives great encouragement to those of us who are not there yet.

You have no idea how much I'd like to be an active member of this board again. Unfortunately I am always on very tight deadlines, and as my experience today proves again, once I start posting on here, I keep posting on here - and my work suffers.

I'm betting there are others like me out here who simply don't have the time to come on to encourage all of you who are still early in the process, much as we'd like to. Like I said, even sixteen months in I can't say I'm "cured," but I'm not killing myself anymore, and I've just realized the process isn't complete, even yet. As the physical addiction becomes less, our brains begin to clear (just a little - lol), and then we often have to go through a process of understanding what drives - not the addiction - but the habit. They are totally different creatures! Once the craving is gone, and we understand what is driving the habit. . .I believe the rest is a cakewalk.

Some of us make it in 3/4 months. . .some of us limp in at over a year. . .but you know, it's all good!

Hang in there!

Goin4More

Hey G4M

Delighted to hear about your progress. Nice to hear there is another online poker player here too. We should play a game sometime, that would be a laugh!

I am so glad to hear from you again! I'm convinced, as you are, that the TSM process is still actively progressing even many months and even years from the start of the treatment. One day, you'll declare you're cured. There is no hurry. It will happen when it happens. The important focus, of course, is the improved quality of life you are experiencing now, which is great to hear.

Post when you can!

Bob