If at first you don't succeed: Here it is a year later and I still have this drinking problem. Long story short. Most of my physical symptoms are exacerbated by alcohol. I seem to be able to go 2 weeks w/o alcohol and then I cave. Day 4 can be a bit iffy, but I manage to get past that. When day 10 - 14 hits I tell myself I can control it (and can for a day or two and can have a beer at lunch and not want another). I actually went to the same AA meeting 3 weeks in a row, then on the the 4th I got to the parking lot and turned around to buy a bottle of wine since the hubby left town...

So here I go again.... The plan is to try for 2 weeks AF at a time and then do the Nal thing (let's hope I can acclimate with few side effects)...

Good news! I'm typing in a fairly optimistic state of mind as a opposed to being remorseful. I guess because I know that I can do a couple of weeks AF and am practicing harm reduction. Also, going AF is actually sounding less and less like a life sentence and more like a healthy lifestyle.

Any ladies out there who'd like to PM me, please feel free. A lot of this battle is down right lonely and I would be very receptive to working this TSM program with a pen pal or two. Hugs, Keek

I guess the big question is this: what's your plan for defeating whatever led you to noncompliance the first time?

I think you should stop trying to abstain. Just remember to NEVER forget to follow the Golden Rule and drink. Let NAL do it's thing. It can't work if you don't take it with alcohol.

Hi there,

I think the the only disagreement with the TSM method is that it seems that you are encouraged to drink to make it work. And I understand the science behind it and that of course that you must drink for it to work but I see nothing wrong with AF. I am new as of today and the first response I got was to look into the Harm Reduction Method. I visited their site and found it asthetically unappealing to look at so I didn't hang around to read more. Anyhow, while I'm waiting on my Nal to arrive, I'm thinking that I should have ordered Campral with it. Because if I was taking that everyday, would I be less likely to turn around in the AA parking lot and buy the bottle of wine? And if the Campral failed me, and I gave into my cravings but popped a nal before I started drinking, wouldn't that be more helpful?

Just wondering. My husband is an alcoholic too so we enable each other. Fun stuff!

Keeping you in my thoughts on your journey!

Littlebit

There's nothing wrong with not drinking alcohol. Many of us are teetotalers or near-teetotalers. There is something wrong with "abstinence," though, because it implies that you're refraining with at least some effort.

Are you sure you understand this protocol? You aren't "encouraged to drink to make it work." You're told to drink because that's how it works. That's the means by which the protocol functions. If you're unsure about that part, this may not be the right approach for you.

There's nothing at all wrong with going AF, and many of us have, but if you can successfully and happily go AF then you don't need this in the first place. A craving-killing drug is a good quick solution, but it actually delays the real cure by giving you fewer brain-retraining sessions.

I second the recommendation for harm reduction. I believe it's by far the best way to prevent disaster before the cure. It's hard to argue with advice like "don't drink and drive."

Speaking of harm reduction, there are a number of books, such as that by Alan Carr, and the book entitled "kick the drink" easily. That and reading some moderation strategies such as planning drinking and such go a huge way towards reducing cravings.

It shows alcohol as the poison it really is.

I realize this is a thread about using medication to stop alcohol abusing, however I did use naltrexone correctly for six months, and it reduced my intake a bit, but I hadn't really changed at all.

Of course with no real understanding of why the hell you're drinking, and what it actually means to drink a lot, and why it is so tremendously harmful, real change is all but impossible

All I would say, is if you want to take all the weapons against this into the battle, not utilizing stuff like that is crazy. It is extremely helpful, and is what turned the corner for me.

I'd rather have some knowledge, and use my mind and commonsense then to keep throwing more drugs at the problem.

I essentially never have cravings anymore, and have never taken anything besides naltrexone, which worked just fine.

I drank hardly at all after starting nal, only when the cravings became unbearable. If that's something you are able to do, I reccomend it. I dont reccommend taking something to reduce cravings.

double post

I'm female and I'm AF, took me 2+ years of TSM to work out I didn't actually like alcohol, and was only drinking because I could......and because TSM had quashed the cravings I was able to just stop.

Not sure if you'd get much understanding from AA, I have been to some of their meetings since TSM but felt a bit of a fraud - I have recovery via TSM and work done on myself, I also have a spirituality and place to celebrate that.

There are however many, many wise words said in AA, many of which I carry in my tool box.

Thanks for all comments. I have a lot to think about. Yep, the 10th day did me in. I seem to be battling these detox headaches and when one hit me all day Friday and Saturday I ended up taking a Vicodine (after the over the counter meds didn't do a thing). It didn't work either. Anyhow, I told myself that the only thing that would work was the drink and since I had taken the Vicodin I couldn't take the Nal. So now I'm back on a two week AF and have given the pain pills to my hubby. I'm A little relieved that I wont be drinking at our party on Thursday because i was worried about getting really sick with the Nal and having overnight guests. Seriously feeling the remorse today and very lonely. The thing I am most upset about is that I didn't even try to check in here for support. I don't want to go to AA, yet I know I need help. I need to make an effort to help myself. Some of the things I've learned this week: 1) this is priority #1 (for god's sake, treat it as such and log in EVERY morning). 2) I do have cravings.. That's what the anxiety and headaches are. 3) I need to do the AF days for my own sanity. 3) It is too easy for me to justify not taking the Nal cuz I want the Buz. 4) I really don't enjoy drinking anymore and the Buz just isn't worth it. 5) This struggle is not going to be easy. Til tomorrow, keek