Today marks exactly 6 months of TSM for me. It has gone by so fast, it felt like I started this program just a couple weeks ago. I've thought about this long and hard and I've decided to declare myself "regained control". When I started this process I was sure that I was going to use the word "cured", but as I progressed I found that "regained control" seems to be more appropriate although it is really a very subtle difference.

This past Saturday I went to my cousin's wedding. You know what? I actually forgot that there is usually alcohol at weddings. This is something I would have never overlooked in the past. When I got to the reception and saw all the booze it seemed obvious, but I hadn't even considered drinking that night. I had a short 30 second internal debate with myself about whether I should pop my nal so I could drink later in the evening, but I easily decided that I'd rather stay sober so I could drive home when I wanted to and I was happy with that decision. I didn't feel left out or angry that everyone else was drinking.

This past Tuesday, I attended my first baseball game ever in my life. I know it's a custom to drink at these events so I took my nal beforehand and had 2 very expensive beers. I didn't want any more and more importantly, when I got home I had no craving whatsoever and did not drink by myself.

I know it's been less than 3 weeks since the last time I was drunk and I've had many periods of sobriety that lasted longer than this while I was in AA or when I was just white knuckling it on my own, but this feels innately different. This time I'm not constantly thinking about alcohol or having a pity party because I can't drink or avoiding people, places, and things that remind me of alcohol or just being plain terrified of when my next binge would occur because there was always some part of me that knew that next binge would inevitably occur. This time sobriety feels natural and easy. There is no fear. I know that I may have cravings and may even go on a binge sometime in the future, but the thought doesn't scare me because I know that my binges will continue to get less severe and will be spread out farther and farther. TSM is for life, but you're constantly getting better as long as you follow the rules.

For those in the beginning stages of TSM, I remember I was so impatient to be "cured", but now that I've "regained control", it feels like it all happened so fast. I'm ecstatic that this method works for me and I wish that it could work for everyone. I have this feeling that TSM is on the verge of becoming mainstream, but it truly takes people like us to get the word out. I feel like I've been given a life-saving gift and I should show my gratitude by letting people know about this amazingly simple yet effective method.

Even though I've regained control, my TSM journey is far from over. I will continue to share my weekly progress in this thread and to comment on other people's threads if I have anything useful to say. Thank you so much everyone for your experience, advice and support. I truly could not have done this without you. I want to thank you all by name, but I'd prefer not to offend anyone by forgetting someone. Thank you everyone! TSM has saved my life.

To say reading a post like this makes me happy would be a complete understatement. Words cannot express how happy I am for you. I totally and completely relate to what you say and what you've gone through. And your future input here will be invaluable. It's up to us -- those who have regained control -- to make sure that the word gets out and to put an end to all of the unnecessary misery, death and destruction that continues to go on every day because the mainstream does not accept this miracle treatment.

I'm going to start a regained control list and add you and I to it.

My best,

Nick

Tambo, I've been anticipating your regained control post and could not be happier for you. You have been a very thoughtful, supportive and sharing member of this board. Your experience and posts will no doubt benefit others who follow you in TSM. I look forward to following your continued journey.

Tambo - Your post made me choke up! What a lovely post it is. I am so happy to see another TSMer regain control and report it so eloquently. Congrats to you and keep on posting for those of us behind you.

Welcome to sustained sobriety, Tambo. I loved hearing from another TSMer who has grown indifferent to Alcohol. You highlight one of the remarkable aspects of this method: We can be around alcohol and enjoy the party without feeling like we're missing out on something, begrudging the festive mood of others. We simply don't need the alcohol to enjoy the party. And what a bonus that we can have a few if we decide to do so. Who said 'you can't have your cake and eat it too'?
This is our new lease on life. I am confident that I will never have a problem with Alcohol again in my life. I have "jumped off the slow moving train" (Springrider). I have not been intoxicated since starting this method almost six months ago. It's a f**king miracle....a miracle of science. Thank God.

Oh Tambo (sniffle sniffle)-your post just made my night! I feel a special "kindredness" with you since we started the same week, and I'm sooooo happy to read the eloquently thoughtful words you wrote above. I concur that "regained control" has a much better connotation than cured, especially since there are different goals here. The indifference part has been the most unbelievable part of this process.
You have been a great supporter for all of us here, and I'm glad to hear you will continue to be. I feel guilty for cheating on the hcg diet forums but for now weight loss is my primary focus (and the fact that alcohol has taken such a back back seat in my life these days is yet another Festivus miracle). I'm glad to know you'll be here for me when my social life starts to drag itself out of the depths of fatland. CONGRATULATIONS!

Congratulations Tambo! Great to hear. One thing that struck me in your post is where you say that you do not constantly think about alcohol and do not really miss it like you used to when you decide not to drink. This is exactly my experience and why I find TSM to be something of a miracle. It is like your brain is reset at a subconscious level and you return to your pre-drinking days. That is the best result from TSM. In addition, when this works we gain a lot of confidence in our ability to have sustained success into the future -- so long as we follow the golden rule. Good luck and I look forward to your future updates.

Congratulations Tambo, another TSM inspiration. Thanks for diarizing your journey. Those of us behind you can learn a lot by reading your thread. Enjoy your new control and life. Well done!!!!

Thank you Nick, St. V., HG, Digetic, St. Jude, Merlot and WarrenJames for your comments.

My first week of being regained control ends with 3 units and 6 AF days. The AF days were effortless. On Saturday I hung out with 2 married couples who each had a young baby. It was nice but it also made me wish that I had a family instead of being single. That got me really depressed and triggered an intense alcohol craving. I thought great, less than one week of declaring my regained control status and I'm already having intense cravings. I really wanted to get wasted and I knew that beer wasn't gonna cut it so I caved and bought some vodka on my way home.

I took my nal and waited an hour. I gulped down 3 drinks in probably half an hour. I was on my computer for a bit, but I eventually just fell asleep. I'm not sure if I stopped drinking because I was sleepy or because I was satiated, but I still consider it a success because in the past I would not have stopped no matter how tired I was. I'm also impressed that I was able to stop even though I was drinking hard liquor.

I think there are three main reasons why this happened. One is that my brain has been rewired to not want alcohol so badly. Two is that I drink rarely enough now that my tolerance has gone down. And three is that since I drink so rarely (at least compared to the old me) that when I take nal, my body is not used to it, so it is like having the honeymoon every single time. I noticed that the biggest nal side effect for me, being tired, came back. The next day I was knocked out and stayed in bed until noon. Normally 3 drinks would not knock me out so badly.

To those of you on TSM that have long periods of AF days, do you feel like the honeymoon or side effects come back when you resume drinking?

I hope this doesn't discourage anyone that I suffered an intense craving after declaring myself regained control. I've accepted the fact that it will take me a long time to conquer all of my triggers (if that's even possible). I know I've already extinguished all the common ones and the ones that are left are just really obscure and may happen once in a blue moon. I'm okay with that.

Hi Tambo,

Firstly, well done on your success, the graph is amazing and I am so pleased to see you doing so well.

As we have both commented before our progress has been very similiar. Like you I now take the Nal rarely because most days are AF. Therefore I now get the side effects again.... not the full range of effects but mainly the tiredness. In a way this has been positive in that it has made me question whether I really want a drink and whether I really want therefore to take the Nal. It generally feels easier just not to bother drinking at all which has become fairly effortless.

It was interesting to read about your trigger of meeting with your married friends. I think there will always be the odd trigger we have not faced that will pop up now and again. For me recently it was the beginning of spring and the sun coming out...boy did I want a drink! Nick wrote some good points on my thread about this and made the point that there may be triggers such as a death in the family or a break up in a relationship happen very rarely and so the chance to work on extinction in these situations has not been present and so craving will naturally be higher. I think its amazing that despite your trigger you still kept your drinking under control. Just think how amazing your next relationship is going to be now that you are in control of your drinking. I've been lucky to have the support of my husband during the process and I have the utmost respect for you and St V. who have both managed to follow the method following the break up of a relationship and without the support of a partner and when dealing with all the emotional fall out of a break up- amazing work!