That chicken-and egg issue about alcohol and depression is a common question. Sinclair found that, three months into TSM, his patients showed improved scores on the Beck Depression Inventory. (Eskapa, p. 96-97) Many of us will see depression and anxiety lessen as alcohol loses its grip on our lives and, we regain control of our lives. Some of us need help from a mental health professional. It helps to see our alcohol addiction as a separate issue from our mental health issues.

The extinguishing of drinking through triggers (like the vacation home) is important to the cure. In the shrinkwrap podcast I remember Sinclair saying this is why TSM is not so effective after being started for several weeks in a clinical setting, safely away from life's triggers. The rats' only trigger was anticipating the daily cocktail hour. They did not have vacation homes or family dysfunction issues, at least I think not.

re Lena's comment ....
Oh Yes definately loads of probs will fall off as alc leaves us . i've noted when I take breaks and fairly swiftly too , but to have it for keeps would be greater .

So Kris, that riddle doesn't really matter actually .
I also think you mentioned some bi polarity tendancy , now that too will benefit from the drink going . My wife has that and thought she was an alky and stopped drinking fifteen years ago , actually alc wasn't the prob , she never relapsed , found it easy and never wants it anyway .
Well , take it easy .

Hi again Elfern,

I'm happy for your wife that she hasn't been overtaken by the alcohol beast. And I do agre with all of you who've mentioned the connection between alcohol and depression. They certainly feed on each other, and I know I'll benefit tremendously mentally as well as physically from TSM. Aside from the crummy days/moods that knock me down sometimes, the hope that TSM (and all of you ) have given me has already had a huge positive impact. I just need to keep plugging away...

Kris - you always come through as incredibly upbeat...I would not have guessed your history. I'm glad you have kept at this and I know you will see more success soon.

Elf - I think we are on the same path, my friend. I woke up with my first real hangover this morning, the first time since I started. I pulled out my secret weapon - hypno tapes - it just pushes the hangover right out of me. It also pushes any cravings away so I will likely AF tonight. Maybe another night as well to take a break. Let's not get discouraged over it - I think our bodies are just really getting used to the Nal and so our drinking is going back to what it used to be. I still do not have cravings like I used to...the wine is just tasting better these days and I don't feel like stopping. BUT, I know the Nal is working. I definitely drank less at my family party this weekend, so that's a plus (still more than I was hoping to, but not as much as I used to).

Keep the faith, we'll get there.

Week nine had nine days as I now want my week to end neatly on sunday night
I used what's left of my brain to adjust the unit score equitably and ....come in at 42 units .
Again my usual 3 AF's and two in a row , on these the craving was low and manageable , the drinking days were at least capped around eight or ten units (uk)

what is new , however is that this was an absolute b*g* OF A week starting with a car breakdown in middle of a busy road , very expensive and very stressing had to cancel work and at the weekend a very worrying incident with my daughter who is in a hospital for psychiatric problems . I can't say more , but it was all rather traumatizing .
through all that the drinking just seemed to fit in and not get ugly or excessive .
I think for a good while now I've been very careful not to binge on strong emotions
Does that always work ? I doubt it, but I try a heavy persuasion job that often allows me a good drink but not too over the top . What i've seen from this week is that that seemed easier to do . When the car broke down I said yeah have a pint or two ,did so and snapped out of a woe is me descent into hell . Because i really used to know situations where if I had a few free days especially this would get so out of hand and i'd be missing last buses and coming home on the first in the morning
after seeing the few places open , real dives , so depressing . if anyone know this particular brand of misery ? then the next day would be a total lie in . I hope these days are gone , it's no life . So I say vivre tsm , life is better , things are changing
and i'm not the only one, am I ?

Hi Elfern,

Sorry you had such a rough week. Glad you made it through without letting alcohol drown your troubles - very impressive. Things are changing for the better with TSM, aren't they? It's wonderful to witness, and it makes the future look even brighter than I could have imagined a few months ago. Miracles do happen...

I wish you the best outcome with all the personal issues you've got on your plate. I know you'll come through it all with flying colors. Take care, and thanks for sharing.

Hi Elfern - have been off the board for a few days....

This is really good news, a definite, definite sign of improvement. (Not good news about your car or your daughter - I hope everything works out ok with both. The car is easier to 'fix' and a less emotional subject, eh? Very sorry.).

I am having a horrible slip back into my old ways...very bizarre for me, but I mention it as we are at the same point: so to have continued improvement during stressful situations this week is a great morale booster for me to read.

Keep us posted when you have a chance. I will catch up with the board this weekend hopefully.

Take care,

I had sthg of a binge on sat (17 u ) which alarmed me . Lunchtime starts, chiefly a thing of weekends, explain this .
So either I ban that, ( doesn't work , not yet anyway ) or opt for setting a limit
of 3 drinks at the lunch . This seems more feasable given the reduced sense of urgency I have been happy to see more of now .
As well as the high ,this week also saw the low of three units one lunch , and that was it , no effort or frustration .
I don't feel too great after a big drink and that's how the week ends . so it's important to see it in perspective, as a mitigated week with swings - as circumstances and emotions were on the rollercoaster side too, this is perhaps to be expected .
2 AF's and three reasonable days : so it all happened . I won't try to see a pattern in a single week . I look foreward to better days soon .

Elfern, I can relate. I had a nice moderate week last week, and started out OK last Thurs./Fri. nites. Then drank 9 and 10 units on Sat. and Sun. UGH!

However, taking that into perspective. . .that's the amount I drank, at minimum, every single day pre-Sinclair. Most days now, I'm drinking about 7 units. I'm waking up every day much more clear-headed, and I think that's b/c there is significantly less alcohol consumption overall than there was b/4. I'm also getting up earlier in the morning, and having more productive days. Again, the only thing I can attribute this to is the gradual sucess I'm having with TSM.

Still, can't help but wish for faster progress. . .

Hi Elfern - I haven't posted my progress yet, but we are on very very similar courses.

It seems like my week 10 started out horribly (higher than pre-sinclair - where did that come from??) and then ended with 3 unforced AFs...so. I think something's going on at the almost 3 month mark. It's like one part of your brain is fighting it and rears it's ugly head one day and then the other part has given in and takes over another day. Probably a few more weeks of the bizarre battle and then we will start leveling out...hopefully on the good side!

It's kind of exciting if you think of it that way. But, I know, the high unit days are a bummer - keep posting : ).