Hello All,
I used to visit here under the handle, “SpringerRider”. I dropped out of sight for several reasons, but most notably I did not like the voyeurism that I was experiencing by some members. I also find it better to simply follow the protocol and forget about myself.
Beyond that, I have been struggling to keep a business afloat and have been travelling frequently. We are bouncing back and it does appear we will survive.
My reason for posting is that I want to update others on where I stand in my pursuit of a cure to alcohol addiction. I began the Sinclair Method on Jan. 16th. Last Friday I have cleared 16 weeks. Eskapa reports that as the inside window for being cured. At this point, I would like to announce that I believe I am cured of the addiction of alcohol. For me, the Sinclair Method is an absolute success.
My definition of success is the cessation of any craving to drink and an average consumption less than 12 drinks per week. On evenings when I choose to drink, I normally drink two beers and occasionally three. I only drink three to four nights a week. I do not use self-constraint. I do not “try not” to drink. Since I still see myself in a curative modality, I permit myself to drink as I desire but my desires are weak. In truth, I find myself drinking for two to three reasons:
1. I still have times where I feel “excited” to drink and try to indulge these episodes with Naltrexone so as to extinguish them. The occasions are rare and the desires are barely perceptible.
2. I feel obligated to do so once I take Naltrexone even though the desire has waned. This is usually only one drink.
3. Because I can do so non-destructively in social situations and enjoy the new-found freedom. We go out for dinner on Bike night to a club with 300 other Harley riders. I have two beers after taking Naltrexone. It takes me three hours to finish my drinks and afterwards it is iced tea. Even in my worse days, I had a 2 drink rule when on the bike. Now I do it without effort.

More and more times, I defer drinking and Naltrexone to permit me to enjoy the “big bites” in life. For that reason, I find myself experiencing more non-drinking days. I enjoy the enhanced endorphin release. The colors are so vibrant. The sex is super great. I wake my wife up and 2 AM and tell her to get dressed so we can go out for a ride in the mountains on the Harley. We ride and watch the sun rise in the mountains. We have a few secret coves we can always pull over. She loves it! It seems the rewards of non-drinking are beginning to out-weigh the rewards of drinking. And the fact that I lose interest in drinking after two or three drinks reduces the act to a blah, blah, blah ritual. In other words, I can truly take it or leave it. I drink like my wife.

A little encouragement to those still struggling
For some period of time, I was concerned that I might not be doing the Method right. I would have a promising week and then a bad day or two. I have never drunk without taking Naltrexone. Some days I would take Naltrexone and still drink far more than I believed I should be drinking. I was still drinking Gin which is hard to meter. This seemed to be happening in the 9 to 11 week range and was very disheartening. I mentioned it to ~Q. Maybe I was one of the 15%! Maybe the Sinclair Method was a scam! Maybe I have a counterfeit batch of Naltrexone. But the real problem was simply me.

I am a high achiever and have always been a high functioning alcoholic. I demand the most from myself and quite a bit from those around me. Ask my wife. I suffer failure poorly. But even in these darkest periods, if I would have taken a snap-shot of that time and compared it to an equal time before Sinclair – no comparison. And that is what I had to do to remind myself when all was not roses and blu-jays. I am not very compliant at record keeping. As far as recording the drinking and cravings, I came up short. My travelling did not make it any easier. There were some mornings when my wife had asked, “Honey, do you think it is working” and my reply was, “I take my pill and I drink – don’t bother me until the sixth month”. Well it is only four months and it I am calling the game. We won hands down!
I have talked with my friends in AA. Not about Naltrexone but have told them to have the “losers” get in touch with me. I have no interest in anyone who has found a way to stay sober independent of Sinclair. I want to offer another choice for those that cannot make conventional means work.

If you are new to Sinclair, follow the protocol and allow it to work. There may be what seems like set-backs but they are necessary. You are digging up triggers. Some are subtle but others are big, nasty rabbid dogs. The order they appear may not seem to make sense but you don’t get to pick and chose the way your psychy regurgitates repression. I assume I still have deep rooted triggers in myself just waiting to leap out. As long as I have taken my Naltrexone – bring ‘em on. That is how it works.
I wish you all the best of luck and want to extend my thanks to Drs. Sinclair and Eskapa. I owe them much.

NOTE FROM LENA: I SPLIT SPRINGER'S THREAD SO THIS POST JUMPS OUT FOR ALL TO SEE!! For his "back story", check out "The Life and Times of a SpringerRider" in Tell Us Your Story.

Springrider, you don't know me as I started just about when you stopped posting but I always remembered the way that you posted. It was great encouragment to hear you say over and over that you just took the Naltrexone 1 hour before and didn't over think it. I also remember you saying that after the hour you really didn't want the drink and would buy a beer and drink it just to continue the process. I am so happy and relieved that you posted now. I honestly worried that something had gone terribly wrong since several people left at that same time. I am not having a very good or easy time of it and have many questions that remain unanswered. This is my last chance at life and I am hoping to be able to beat this beast also with the Sinclair Method!

Spring Rider, it is a very small world also. My cousin's husband was a very prominent scientist with the CDC. Don't want to mention names here but I truely wonder if you know both of them. I can't seem to PM you and don't want to mention names here.

Welcome back, friend.

I just formed a response, and had it eaten by my laptop. Grrrrr. . .!!!

The gist? Thank you for this post. This kind of success story from an early member is more encouraging than anything else - and really, is the whole purpose for the Message Board.

I started TSM one month before you, and am SO looking forward to the prospect of having similar results in a relatively short time.

Again, thanks.

Thanks for that, SR. It's a very inspiring story to those just starting this.

SR - great news and thank you so much for posting. (I was wondering when/if we would hear the final 'It definitely, definitely worked' from you).

Especially important to the March Starters is your recalling the 9-11 week yo-yo. Many of us are experiencing that now, so it's great to see where we will come out.

Congratulations and please check in and let us know how you are doing at the big milestones if you can!

Best of luck to you,

SR, I was very happy to see news from you today and learn that tsm has effectively
oh YES ! resolved your drink problems for the most part .
We had brief word from Q but this says you're well furhter down the road .
Thankyou for leaving a lengthy inspiring post about how it is now as well as mention
of the doubts that we are in right now .
Your asking AA to send on the bad cases is great I'm sure there'll be takers who'll benefit .

WOW!
WOW!
WOW!

You have allayed my greatest fears, my motorcycling friend. I truly felt, just 2 short days ago, that this was one of those holistic scams (I apologize in advance to those who use holistic treatments).

The time period that you thought that the treatment wasn't working is the time period that I am in now. On top of that, I have mental illness that requires depressants to stay "normal", but that somewhat slows the extinction process from what Dr. Roy has stated.

You have inspired me by your post and very likely saved a life.

Thank you, my friend! If you ever need a place to stay in Florida, PM me.

Bob.

SpringerRider,

Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to post this. As you may recall, your posts on MWO turned me on to this site and TSM. It is a little disconcerting to have someone who's progress you are following drop out suddenly, but to hear this success story is just a HUGE boost right at a difficult time in my, and many others' progress.

I imagine that as my cure takes shape, I may have a lessened interest in posting here too - too much other stuff to do, not being drunk and all. So when someone does take the time and just let us know that there is success waiting for us . . . well, most heartfelt thanks and best wishes!

A toast to your health