Nice going YG. Slow and steady wins the race. Try setting your exponential trend line intercept to your pre-TSM number (49 in your case) this will show exponential decay more clearly.

Thanks for the comments, weird-oh, StJude and StVincent! I finished that book and it has been a great help to me (StJude, did you get it yet? What do you think?) I am very clear on what I want to do and why, and I have written specific:

- goals (lose 10-15 lbs, limit drinks to 7-8 per week, 30-60 mins exercise per day)
- contingency plans for overcoming obstacles + cravings
- tracking systems for daily goal vs actual, obstacles encountered, plans to revisit and revise plan as needed

I am feeling really good right now, like for the first time in years this is possible. I think the combination of mental clarity (reading the book, writing it all out, making a commitment) and 7 months of TSM behind me (no more overwhelming alcohol addiction, only lingering habit) are the key to getting down to that "low risk" level of drinking for me.

Here's the graph, same numbers as last week. StVincent, can you tell me how to get my exponential trend line to intersect my pre-TSM numbers? I am using Excel 2002 (I know, I need to upgrade!) and can't figure it out!

YG, if you right click on the trendline itself in the graph you shoud get a menu. Select [Format Trendline] at the bottom check [set intercept] =49. At least that's how it works in my version of Excel. Great progress btw and Happy New Year.

Sweet, StVincent - thank you! That looks much better!

I have been thinking a lot about what makes TSM work, when it does. Naltrexone is not a magic pill all by itself. It may be for rats, but we humans are much more complex. I believe it is a combination of:

-- Naltrexone actually doing its work at the neurological level, as advertised. Over time, the urge is simply not as strong as it once was. It is no longer insurmountable - after that, you still have to tackle the habit.

-- Behavior modification - simply waiting a hour after taking Nal to drink is a change, delaying the beginning of a drinking session and learning some self control. Over time, you gain more and more self control.

-- Placebo effect? Maybe part of it is this, believing a "cure" is possible must help, the power of persuasion is, well, powerful!

-- Learning a new habit - I think tracking drinks, reporting on this site, being truly accountable to yourself and seeing the real numbers (spreadsheet, graph, whatever!) helps. For me, those numbers are always in the back of my mind and I WANT to have a downward trend on that graph. That in itself is motivating.

-- Scheduling activities you don't want to miss due to a hangover. This has been huge for me lately. I have put yoga classes, photography classes, volunteering at my son's school, taking my daughter to ski lessons and other activities on my calendar. I know if I drink too much, I will miss out on what I have planned (or I will suffer through them, hating myself.)

After 7+ months on Naltrexone, I seem to have more conscious control over the decision of whether or not I will drink on any given day. Drinking still pops into my head one or more times a day - the difference now is, I can much more easily put it out of my head. I still often drink more units than I want to when I do drink. Hopefully that will get better over time too.

I am not going to post a graph till tomorrow, but if I stick to no wine tonight (which is my plan) this will be my lowest week since the beginning of TSM - 11 units and 5 AF days. If that is the best my "cure" ever gets, I'll take it!

YG,

Great post. Congrats on 11 units and 5 AF days!! I only have 4+ months but everything you wrote rings true for me too. I am finding little by little, drink by drink, I have more decision making power and other meaningful activities (and wanted to be hangover free) trumps the desire to drink on more and more occasions. Will power factors in but it is easier to apply as cravings diminish in strength.

Thank you for your honest summary... BTDT

Hey yogagirl, I love this post. I agree with all the factors you mentioned as being part of a successful program. Nice analysis.

Thanks for the great comments, BTDT and Tambo!

Here's my latest chart - lowest numbers ever! And I am happy to say it was with very little effort. I had fleeting thoughts of drinking every day, but they were easily dismissed. However, in the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that I have a prescription for Xanax. I have used it a few nights before bed, to stop my racing mind and allow me a good night's sleep. I will, of course, have to stop using that crutch. I think tonight I will try sleeping without AL or Xanax and see how it goes. Worst case scenario, I stay up reading a novel till 2am and am tired the next day.

One night last week was a post-holiday event for my husband's company (very small company, all partiers, no worry about being the only one drinking too much!) That night ended with more units than I planned, but my husband was not upset about it (he was right there with me and everyone else.) And although I had a hangover the next day, I did not beat myself up over it. I looked at that night as exactly the kind of night I want to be able to have every now and then. In my life, I want to be able to have those fun, a little over the top party nights sometimes. The key is that it is not EVERY NIGHT, and/or ALONE, and/or FOR NO REASON AT ALL!

This coming week, I have no alcohol related events planned, and lots of non-alcohol related activities on my calendar. I am coming off two AF days, and don't really see any need (or feel any desire ... yet) for drinking in the next few days. I wonder if this could be the week where I finally have 4-5 AF days (or more?!?) in a row. So far (despite Tambo's great advice) the best I have done is 3 in a row.

Have a great week everyone!

Great chart! There seems to be a lot of breakthroughs on this board recently. It is definitely easier now that the holidays are over.

Wow YG - Great progress. As I mentioned I am at that point where I'm feeling a little blue about this whole process. I am still drinking the same with no end in sight. Your post helps me to remember Nal+Al=Cure. I'm looking forward to it.

Keep up the great progress

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