Hello all,

I´m in my 16th week on TSM. My drinking amount has been cut down by about 20-30% from pre-TSM. Usually, 3-4 drinking days (the World Cup more like 4-5 drinking days-big thing here in Germany) and 2-3 AF days. My anxiety is still bad (house-bound unless I drink). Since starting TSM, I´ve never made an effort to control my cravings. I have the suspicion that my units will stay like this, so I´m planning on using effort in minimizing my drinking days (Thursday-Saturday and then twice at the maximum). Craving, habit, or deprivation is what I want to find out. And, of course, the anxiety is really paralyzing. I can control any craving, i.e. I always knew how to postpone gratification (don´t mean to boast, just want to distinguish between pleasure and addiction).
I´m sure others have attempted this before. TSM plus effort, I suppose. Your thoughts and experiences are very much appreciated .

-Fred

Hi Fred
I just started TSM last week, so obviously I don't have much experience to share. I'm curious about the anxiety you mentioned. Do you mean general nervousness and discomfort when you're around other people? If so, I'm guessing that will improve with time and practice - and maybe even some simple cognitive- behavioral techniques.

I feel anxious in most social situations without alcohol. Drunk, I'm fairly social and out-going but when sober most social situations do not even seem appealing to me at all. I'm hopeful that I will be able to learn to better tolerate the anxiety, and that it will also diminish over time. Hope the same for you too...

Best wishes,
Shelly

Hi Fred,

I had a lot of anxiety as well, and drinking was about the only thing that helped. But as Shelly mentioned, cognitive techniques can really help, and like TSM, you can practice them without need of a doctor. The techniques are easily learned as well. My favorite book on the topic is this one, which spells it out pretty clearly.

http://www.amazon.com/When-Panic-Attack ... 0767920716

Thanks for your replies to anxiety. For about 4 years now, I know my anxiety/depression will end with my addiction (previous 10 years I thought it was the other way around). I was on a honeymoon I guess, for the first 10 weeks. I´m in my 20th week now. Units have risen to almost (i.e. almost) the same amount as before TSM. I will never consume alcohol without Nal of course, but it is very frustrating. When will the units break down? WHEN WILL ALCOHOL FINALLY DISGUST ME? Complaining doesn´t help, I know, but this the is the only place I know to "rant" (as you Americans say). I will be 34 next month, and I don´t want to die so young. If I could only see my neural pahtways right before my eyes, then there would be hope. Hope, as in knowing how far they have become country-lanes (from super-highways). Hope, is the last thing that dies........
Sorry, for the negativism, but we are using a revolutionary method ("alcoholism is incurable"-).

Keep going! You might be having an "extinction burst" come to think of it a glossary of TSM terms would be useful on this board. I'm gonna make a thread about the possibility of that. but I digress..

I just started making a little effort at having AF days (I never used to take them) and am surprised at how easy it is. I'm at week 23 and really feeling like TSM is starting to extinct the addiction. 2 weeks ago I had the biggest number yet. above pre tSM numbers. so don't fret. spikes are normal

Thanks Joe12.
My real problem is that I´m trapped. I´ve become dependent on 15mg Diazepam daily. I´ve tried to temporarily stop TSM (meaning no alcohol at all, of course) until I´m clean from the Benzos. I cracked. I´ve only had 2 drinking days per week in the last three weeks. Because of the Benzos, of course. If I could stop drinking until I got rid of the Benzos, I wouldn´t be doing TSM in the first place. That´s the negative part. Admittingly, very negative.
On the positive side: I could never plan on only drinking twice a week pre-TSM. It has become easy having three AF days in a row.

hey fred,
i too suffer with anxiety and use al to relax.
here are a couple things i have found to be helpful.
1. GABA, you can find this supplement at a health food store. (i believe benzo's bind to GABA receptors in our brain).
2. magnesium. i use a powdered form called natuarally CALM
both of these can be used sub-lingually for fast results.

i also use a prescription med called buspar. it is an old school anti-depressant (nice and cheap) that also reduces anxiety. i am pretty med sensitive, and have had no side effects with it.

perhaps you can discuss this with your doc and try to find a way to reduce your benzo use. that may give you a better shot at tsm success.

don't give up,
best of luck,
path

Thanks for the suggestions, but I´m going to have to reduce the Diazepam slowly and keep drinking sessions low (twice a week, maximum). Otherwise my anxiety and diazepam consumption will run amok.