Alcohol's down side is more than calories, at least if we drink too much. Hangovers are one obvious example.

You live alone, right? For you, a high with few or no built-in consequences might not mess up your life that much. There would still be work to consider, but on weekends I suppose you could eat a bushel of peppers or whatever struck your fancy. That wouldn't end well for a lot of people, though.

Speaking of calories -- personally, I would love to find a substitute for junk food.

Exercise is a clean buzz, isn't it? There might be unintended consequences such as injuring ourselves, but the runner's high isn't dangerous in and of itself.

Nope, wife and 2 kids.

I work out, semi-regularly, but I have never gotten this workout buzz that people speak of.

The memories of my past are fading, and the desire to be normal is becoming stronger. I was strongly considering a glass of wine yesterday, sans nal, but we were invited over to the in-laws for dinner and I didn't.

Seems I am repeating a well-worn pattern on here. The rules don't apply to me. I can kick back with a glass and be fine. Still not drinking for now, but time will tell.

I wonder how long people go between "cure" and relapse.

Well, FWIW, there's a 70% cured rate at the one-year mark and a 50% cured rate at the three-year mark. Sooooo I guess there's one chance in five, total, of being cured but then choosing to go back.

50% at 3 years. So if you consider yourself part of the 70% cured at a year (at a year or under a year?) Then over the next 2 years, there is a (70-50)/70 (29%) chance of relapse. Damn. Almost 1 in 3.

I havent heard that statistic before, thank you.

Seems that my cure depends on my mental discipline, to not fall into believing it wasnt an issue. To not equating my lack of craving now to a lack of craving while drinking.

Unless the nal has increased my self-knowledge and knowledge of the buzz to where I could be a normal drinker. Im not even really sure I would actually enjoy alcohol again. When I accidentally had alcohol, I felt the buzz, but it was weird, kind of creepy feeling.

Maybe its all just rationalization.

At least Im not eyeing the hot sauce at the moment.

Well, it's still a minority. And the real good news is that it's completely under our control.



Yeeeeeah, I'm not sure there's a rewind button on this. We're doing an amateur rewiring of our brains. We haven't learned self-discipline or practiced resisting temptation or established internal limits. We just broke the addiction at a low level. We're more vulnerable to addiction than people who were never addicted, both because it's easier to relearn a once-learned behavior and because we're still the people who were susceptible in the first place.

If anyone asked my advice, I'd suggest that anyone who can learn/practice/establish should do so. Contrary to propaganda, it's not only possible but is actually the most common outcome of addiction.

I'm leery of suggesting moderation to anyone desperate enough to try TSM in the first place . . . but I'm not sure everyone who tries it is in fact desperate. It's a highly individual thing.



That's interesting. I wonder why that would be.

You mentioned earlier that, once you realized that the opioid buzz was the hook, you felt like you'd been tricked. Is that still so? It would explain why you'd have mixed feelings about experiencing it again.

Under our control eh? Argh. Weakness of character then.

My self disciple has increased greatly sine i stopped drinking. I dont know if that behavior would continue with alcohol.

Im not sure I was one who was greatly susceptible in the first place, I think despair drove me there. But I could be rewriting history.

I had forgotten I used those words, but yes, partly I feel like I know the magician's trick so watching the show isn't fun anymore.

I dont feel lke drinking today, but I have been having this thought, that there is a pattern here... After my first nal, it was a week before I had another drink, then 3 weeks, now I am feeling the call at 3 months. Exponential pattern of extinguishment? Inate behavioral pattern to want to bang on the bar at longer and longer intervals, just to check?

That's interesting.

I can't see how it would hurt to do a "refresher course" every once in a while. One night of nal+al every few months isn't going to hurt anything, and might remind you of what a big lose this really is. We don't have to be teetotalers; we just fell into teetotaling because we don't like alcohol any more. We're still allowed to drink.

I think the moment has passed. Perhaps Valentine's day is an unextinguished trigger for me.

Not thrilled I have to give up my diet soda. Dentist xrays were not great, no drilling yet though. Give up AL, rot your teeth out. Argh.

3 months AF.

I hope coffee and decaf coffee are ok, because I really hate tea.

Have been thinking lately. My desire for a high has passed, but I definitely have more sympathy for those who fall off the wagon. If i hadnt put my thoughts up here I probably would have rationalized my way to drinking without nal.

So, I thought I had peaked at 30 days no nal, but I have been noticing my quick sharpness coming back in full force. Interactions with others are smooth, and I can deftly manage situations.

Healing is seemingly slower now, but still happening.

Bought a decent bottle of wine. Not my usual swill. Took a pill 30 mins ago. Slightly worried I'm going to trip again, especially after reading barry's experience.

Definitely feel a little lightheaded. Man, I'm going to feel like crap tomorrow.