As a binge drinker, our patterns are similar. Once I regained control, I took a few steps to get down on those weekend binge nights. First, I stopped drinking liquor. I could have five double vodkas in no time, leading to a night of 15 easy. Now I drink beer and wine only. I don't like beer and am not crazy about wine. I prefer wine but it gives me a hangover fairly easily. It's virtually impossible for me to drink anywhere near my old numbers on beer and wine so this worked for me. Also, on binge nights, mix in a non-alcoholic drink between drinks, preferably water. You will soon find your numbers drop. Also, now is the time to reason with your formerly impaired brain. On the big nights do a conscious cost/benefit analysis: "OK, I'm buzzed and want more... But if I continue to drink, I'm going to be wrecked by a hangover tomorrow... Is it worth it?" More often than not, the answer is no.

My best,

Nick

Tambo - That is awesome and more! Congrats on a great week.

Hi Tambo,

Well done on the fantastic progress. I totally identify with what you mean when you say you feel grateful when you wake up every day. What a gift we have all been given.

Onwards and upwards!

Ditto on all of the awesomes here! We started around the same time and it's amazing how different our lives are now. Also not using Al as an emotional escape (I've experienced the same lack of need/desire to self-medicate). You're much more of a goal setter than I am but I can see how it's helpful to achieve those victories

Week 22 ends with... drumroll... 0 units!!! The best part is that there was absolutely no effort involved. I've been completely AF and indifferent to alcohol for the past 12 days. I have no idea what happened. It's like the last binge extinguished quite a lot for me. I honestly don't know how long this indifference will last and I'm prepared for the cravings to come back but honestly, right now I feel like I'm cured. Don't get me wrong, I am no where even close to declaring myself cured. I feel like I need to get much more time under my belt with this newfound control for me to say something like that. I even went with my friends to a bar and since I didn't have time to take my nal, I was absolutely content to sip my coke while they had alcohol. I wasn't bothered in the slightest and when I got home the craving did not hit me.

It's such an amazing feeling to not have alcohol consume my thoughts. I feel like a normal person again. I feel so blessed to live in a time when a pill and a simple method can help me so much with a problem that was basically a life (or death) sentence for those before us.

To those of you struggling, the road is long and bumpy, but you will get to your destination.

Hi Tambo - That is fantastic. Your post really encourages those of us behind you. Keep it up and keep posting.

Awesome! Don't worry about labels like "cured." The fact is, TSM saved your life, end of story! Congratulations! If and when cravings do come back, they are just unaddressed triggers that need to be extinguished. You will never return to square one. Awesome.

My best,

Nick

Hey everyone. Week 23 for me ends with 2 units and 6 AF days. Friday night I had a craving so I took my nal and waited. By the time I had a chance to drink, I was so sleepy that I just went to bed without drinking a drop. That is the first time on TSM that I took a nal and did not end up drinking. I didn't try not to drink. I just preferred sleeping to drinking.

Monday night I experienced a trigger (a very long day at work), I took my nal and tried to get drunk, but I couldn't drink more than two beers. It made me too full and sleepy. I didn't even get a buzz. I was disappointed, but again I preferred sleep to trying to get wasted. The rest of my week was effortlessly AF.

Right now I am in emotional turmoil. Again, it is regarding my ex-girlfriend. I still love her madly. For her birthday I send her a card. She responds by deleting me off her Facebook. For now I've given up hope of reconciliation. I'm moving on and it's not easy. I'm hurting real bad. She doesn't know how to separate the real me from my alcoholism. We're in no contact now so she can't even see how much I've improved. I've talked to her friends and family and they all say that she wants nothing to do with me. It feels like yesterday that she was hinting for me to propose to her.

I'm surprised that I have absolutely zero craving to drink tonight. In the past I would be falling down, blacked out drunk just to numb the pain. She stuck with me through over a years worth of AA and relapses only to leave me right before I find TSM. Life can be so cruel sometimes.

My graph so far. First value is Pre-TSM.

Well the good news is that your personal situation is going to be the biggest trigger ever and you had no compulsion to drink. You have definitely regained control. Awesome.

Now I'm no relationship expert but it is so cruel that she left you presumably because of your drinking and now you are in control. I wish I could offer assistance but I can't think of anything. But I'm willing to bet that once you go AF for a long time, good things will start to happen to you in every area of your life, including your love life.

My best,

Nick