Hello, I am 30 years old and I am an alcoholic. I come from a family of alcoholics with serious cases in it (uncles and dad). Drink mostly binge style since 16. I did pass out and woke up in the hospital maybe 10 times in that period often with spirits. I never could control my drinking and have no limits. Now I drink beers and wine only. The three last years the frequency of binge accelerated from not often to 3 times a week and even more. When I binge I take about 15 units in 4-5 hours. When I start I have a hard time to stop to say the least. I smoke only when I drink but then I am a chain smoker. I am lost in the compulsive pattern once it start. I do not drink the days I do not binge nor smoke those alcohol-free days. I do not like alcohol and prefer to be sober than to have a beer. But if I have a beer I start the compulsion to smoke and drink until I fall asleep. My short term goal is to stop drinking alone and to be able to control drinking when I drink in social situations. My long term goal is to be totally abstinent as I really hate the feeling and stupor of alcohol. I have peripheral nerves problem / muscular tension that I think are due to alcohol. My hangovers are becoming worse and worse (which is a good thing in fact). BTW I have got a scientific background.

I have tried :
-Seclusion in an institution : 2 months, they gave me atypical antipsychotics and said I am not an alcoholic as I had no physical addiction. Even if I told them I was alcoholic and not crazy they said I am not alcoholic (nor crazy btw they concluded at the end). I did not drink there (and did not wish to) but until the weekends when I was on leave. When I definitely went out it went really bad. Not a good way to cure IMHO.

-Baclofen : very effective to get rid of physical symptom of alcohol withdrawal such as shaking and tremors and I use it the day after binge to stop them. Not very effective to get rid of anxiety during withdrawal. Once I had a delirium tremens which seem to have been provoked by an acute high dosage of baclofen (like 300 mg) along an alcohol whithdrawal. Now I keep it under 75 mg. It is not at all effective in me to get rid of craving (have tried for several month until 125 mg daily for one month then I stopped to try the Ameisen method because of lack of efficacity and I did not like to be on medication all days).

-Alprazolam : 250 ug daily before sleep for 9 months, effective as an anxiolytic during withdrawal and effective to put me to sleep but not sustainable for a long term as this is habit forming. So I stopped using it (and sleep better now in fact).

-Naltrexone (Nal): started in december 2012. Seem to work IMHO as craving diminished quickly after 2 - 3 trials. I still cannot stop to drink on it once I start.

I plan to use naltrexone to get rid of the alcoholism by extinction. As naltrexone is an opiate antagonist, I think it is wise to use to get rid of reinforcement through this addictive pathways. I try to put this in practice to hopefully get rid of the alcoholic imprint in the SNC.

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09-2011 to 12-2011 : 8 to 16 units/days 4 times a week. 48 units/week. Less and less AF.
12-2011 : Institution : sober (but medicated) for one month.
01-2012 : Institution : drink once a week when free for the weekend. 6 AF, 12 units/week.
02-2012 : out of institution : 3 - 4 binges a week. Totally out of control. 3 AF 48/week.
03-2012 : got prescribed baclofen and alprazolam. Nerves problem (paresthesia) due to alcohol abuse. Highly anxious all the time. 2 binges a week. 5 AF 24/week.
04-2012 - 10-2012 : baclofen (around 100 mg) and alprazolam (250 ug). 5 AF 24/week.
11-2012 : stop baclofen and alprazolam. No change in drinking or craving noted. 5 AF 24/week.
15-12-2012 : start to use naltrexone (Nal) 50 mg 1 h before drinking
15-12-2012 - 21-12-2012 : First week, 10 units alone then 18 units with friends 5 days later. 5 AF 28/week.
22-12-2012 - 28-12-2012 : Craving has diminished, no more desire to drink alone. 7 AF 0/week.
29-12-2012 - 04-1-2013 : Once for new year eve. 6 AF 19/week.
05-01-2013 - 11-1-2013 : Once with friend, I controlled the urge well. 6 AF 10/week.
12-1-2013 - 18-1-2013 : 7 AF 0/week.
19-1-2013 - 25-1-2013 : 7 AF 0/week.
26-1-2013 - 1-2-2013 : The 30, I drunk 3 glass of wine with family (after having taken Nal 50 mg) I got no effect at all from alcohol. Went to sleep early but woke up at midnight and wanted to smoke (3 weeks since I did not smoke) and had a beer then a second then a whole wine bottle. But what is interesting is I really did not crave for the alcohol but for tobacco (well that was what I told myself at least). 18 units for that day. Second binge two days later : I still was feeling strange from alcohol withdrawal. As I had understood from the book (The Cure) I had to drink to get rid of the alcoholic imprint I thought I had to binge hence I did no try to control the drinking at all. I drank 18 units with friends. Once I started I started being compulsive again and was very energetic (and egotistical) with friends. Four days to get out of the horrible withdrawal. 5 AF 36/week.

...I read the book completely after that and saw I needed to drink but that I did not need to binge like I thought hence I plan to drink with control once a week until the extinction is done.

2-2-2013 - 8-2-2013 : Wanted to do one extinction session the 8. I took Nal and drunk with a friend 10 units worth of beer. I felt the craving before drinking while talking with him while he was smoking. I directly felt the consciousness contraction after I drunk the first beer and started smoking. Once I had started, the compulsion to drink and smoke was intense and I drunk two times quicker than him. I left while leaving him one last beer, I was not in the mood to drink more, luckily. Nonetheless I got a bad headache and nausea and anxiety and I did not sleep well and I feel lazy. I will remember for next time than 10 units of beer is still too much. Next session I plan to limit myself at 8 unit of alcohol max. Alcohol is really a disgusting drug! The day I drink is wasted and the day(s) after are wasted too because of withdrawal. What a crap! 5 AF 10/week.

Thank you for reading and stay strong!

Hi Hovenal, I wish you all the best on your TSM journey, i started TSM at the end of November last year, three months in I'm still drinking as much as I always have however from what I've read, this journey takes a long time and a lot of patience, i often wonder like many others if its working but I am starting to notice subtle differences, like when that time of the afternoon comes around my desire to open that bottle of wine is not as over powering as it usually is and although I still crave to have that wine its hold is a little less gripping! And although I still will drink the whole bottle of wine the desire to open that second bottle is becoming less overpowering also, unlike you I'm a daily drinker and have managed to firm a strong daily habit to break but from the many forums I've read, binge drinkers seem to have a lot of success with the TSM method probably because daily drinking is not a habit and you have many AF days throughout your drinking cycle, I wish you all the best and look forward to reading your progress, just make sure you take that pill every single time and as you said "stay strong".

Kind Regards

Wintyr.

Thank you for your post. I agree attacking both the GABA and opiate receptors is key to success for some. Especially daily nightly drinkers like myself long gone is the opiate addiction to alcohol. I really think my long term addiction and habit is GABA related. Keep on keeping on and welcome to TSM.

9-2-2013 - 15-2-2013 : I did refuse a beer from some friend one day, at the restaurant with family I drunk one big glass of wine after having taken Nal: no effect. I decided to do an extinction session alone in my appartment and drunk 8 units of beer : it was boring. It was strange because a few month ago I did enjoy to drink alone.
16-2-2013 - 22-2-2013 : One day some friends were drinking beer and I did not want to drink. Then another day I took the Nal and drunk 7 units of beer. I had 8 but gave the last one to my friend who did drink quicker than me! It was amazing because normally I drink twice as much than him but that day I drunk and smoke slowly, without compulsion. He said the treatment must work well when he realized I was less drunk than him... Next day was OK with not much hangover. On friday there was some party I went there with friends thinking to do an extinction and drunk 14 units of beer. I had tinitus for weeks after that, I had not thought about the noise! I will not go to party anymore.
23-2-2013 - 1-3-2013 : 7 AF, mostly because I was healing from the withdrawal and the tinitus from the party... I was not feeling well.
2-3-2013 - 8-3-2013 : I came to my friend's house with 4x75 cl beer. I drunk for 10 units of beer. I did not realize 4 bottles were so much beer in fact, in the nightshop I had a hard time to choose the beers and was confuse about the unit of alcohol... I took to much. Next day I was very anxious until I took 75 mg baclofen... Note for the next time : I have to think about how much beer to take before going to the nightshop. I will buy only 33 cL beer now as to have 4x33 cl looks more but is less than 2x75 cL hence better to take the smallest container for beer. I was very compulsive this time with both smoking and drinking. Hence I should always take both... beside the horrible withdrawal I have that got stopped almost directly once I take the baclofen show me I have a really damaged GABAergic system (both GABA-A and GABA-B) and I think many of my GABA-agonist abuse did erode it so much that now I have directly a withdrawal from the GABA agonist and become compulsive if the alcohol activate the receptor...

Steadyprogress ant wintyr : thank you for the nice comments and greetings! I really wonder how daily drinker can cope with the body side-effects of addiction to alcohol... Each time I drink more than 8 units I am sick for one day to several days and need to take baclofen or some benzo to calm the anxiety... Alcohol is so much disturbing for health! I wonder how the body of alcoholic can withstand so much drinks although when I look at my dad or my uncle they have practically no more physical force at 50-60 and walk unsteady for only short time before being exhausted. It is really amazing to see the disastrous consequence of alcoholism on the body and I am not even speaking of the mind!

I wish my body affected worse after a binge. I am freak, and rarely have hangovers, do to years of practice that I am very much embarrassed of.

I understand I am a alcoholic. Most of my friends and coworkers that are also alky's IMO, or borderline IMO, don't realize they are.

They will say things like, "I'd like to see your buddy go beer for beer with our buddy Chris. He wouldn't stand a chance." They actually believe they are complimenting me, while inside, I'm like, son-of-a-bitch. What have I become?

Anyway, looks like your making decent progress. Keep me updated.

Hello, sorry to not have posted before but I kinda forgot I had alcohol problem

Here is a synopsis of the last progress :

My medication are : the days I drink 50 mg of Naltrexone 1 hour before the drinking session.

Here are the week by week report:

wk 13 : 9-3-2013 - 15-3-2013 :
The 10/3 I refused champagne with family. 7AF

wk 14 : 16-3-2013 - 22-3-2013 :
The 7/3 I refused beer. The 22/3 I took 1 Naltrexone and drunk 7 units of beer. 6AF

wk 15 : 23-3-2013 - 29-3-2013 :
The 28/3 I took 1 Naltrexone and drunk 5 units of beer. The 29/3 I refused beer. 6AF

wk 16 : 30-3-2013 - 5-4-2013 :
The 1/4 I did not drink champagne with family. The 4/4 I took Naltrexone and drunk 9 units of beer. 6AF

wk 17 : 6-4-2013 - 12-4-2013 :
The 8/4 I took Naltrexone and drunk 1 beer (to have my drinking session of the week). The 9/4 I refused beer. 6AF

wk 18 : 13-4-2013 - 19-4-2013 :
The 18/4 I took Naltrexone and drunk 9 units of beer. The morning after I was tired and had muscular tension. 6AF

wk 19 : 20-4-2013 - 26-4-2013 :
The 20/4 I took Naltrexone and drunk 7 units of beer and 2 units of wine. The next day I had muscular tension and tinnitus until the 25/4. I was not feeling well that week. 6AF

wk 20 : 27-4-2013 - 3-5-2013 :
The 1/5 I took Naltrexone and drunk 8 units of beer. The next day I took Naltrexone and drunk 8 units of beer. 5AF

wk 21 : 4-5-2013 - 10-5-2013 :
I refused beer the 10/5. I did not drink that week. 7AF

wk 22 : 11-5-2013 - 17-5-2013 :
The 12/5 I took Naltrexone and drunk 4 units of beer. The 13/5 I refused beer. The 17/5 I took 1 Naltrexone and drunk 15 units of beer in some african bar with a colleague! 5AF

wk 23 : 18-5-2013 - 24-5-2013 :
The 18/5 I was ill from the day before, had headache, had parestesia in my hand, muscular tension, was anxious, just horrible. I did not drink that week. 7AF

wk 24 : 25-5-2013 - 31-5-2013 :
The 30/5 I took Naltrexone and drunk 7 units of beer (in 3 hours). I had tremors in my hands while drinking, like from GABAergic withdrawal. The body was craving but could not be satisfied by alcohol it seems. I think this was the most healthy drinking session I ever had as for extinction. 6AF

wk 25 : 1-6-2013 - 7-6-2013 :
The 5/6 I took Naltrexone and drunk 7 units of beer (in 7 hours). I was disgusted by alcohol taste, even by blue Chimay. I did almost puke with pills. Intensely disgusting, I had to sap for 7 hours to be able to finish the beers. I was not drunk at all. No craving, only disgust. This is interesting reaction regarding the week before. The session of the week before did change something in nervous system. 6AF

wk 26 : 8-6-2013 - 14-6-2013 :
The 11/6 I refused champagne with family. The 13/6 I took Naltrexone and drunk 6 units of beer. 6AF

wk 27 : 15-6-2013 - 21-6-2013 :
The 17/6 I refused beer. The 21/6 I took Naltrexone and drunk 4 units of beer. 6AF

wk 28 : 22-6-2013 - 28-6-2013 :
The 24/6 I refused beer. The 27/6 I took Naltrexone and drunk 2 units of beer. 6AF

wk 29 : 29-6-2013 - 5-7-2013 :
The 29/6 I took Naltrexone and drunk 3 units of beer. The 2/7 I took Naltrexone and drunk 1 unit of champagne and 3 units of beer at a social celebration with colleagues. 5AF

wk 30 : 6-7-2013 - 12-7-2013 :
The 6/7 I took Naltrexone and drunk 14 units of beer with friends. The next day I had not much hangover surprisingly but felt tired. 6AF

wk 31 : 13-7-2013 - 19-7-2013 :
I did not drink that week. 7AF

wk 32 : 20-7-2013 - 26-7-2013 :
I did not drink that week. 7AF

wk 33 : 27-7-2013 - 2-8-2013 :
I did not drink that week. 7AF

wk 34 : 3-8-2013 - 9-8-2013 :
I did not drink that week. 7AF

wk 35 : 10-8-2013 - 16-8-2013 :
The 10/8 I took Naltrexone and drunk 3 units of beer at some village fest with friends. The 11/8 I took Naltrexone and drunk 4 units of beer at the same village fest with friends again. 5AF

wk 36 : 17-8-2013 - 23-8-2013 :
I did not drink that week. 7AF

wk 37 : 24-8-2013 - 30-8-2013 :
The 30/8 I took Naltrexone and drunk 3.5 units of beer with a friend. 6AF

wk 38 : 31-8-2013 - 6-9-2013 :
The 31/8 I took Naltrexone and drunk 1 unit of champagne and 1 unit of rhum at a friend's anniversary. The 5/9 I took Naltrexone and drunk 4 units of champagne at a colleague's celebration. 5AF

wk 39 : 7-9-2013 - 13-9-2013 :
The 7/8 I took Naltrexone and drunk 6 units of beer at that colleague's celebration big fest (peoples kept serving me beers again and again because I was VIP and I had to drink a bit of them then put them on a table and 'abandon' them to be able to not drink much. I was served maybe for 12 units of beers in total and drunk more or less half of the total volume in the bottles and left the rest away. 6AF

wk 40 : 14-9-2013 - 20-9-2013 :
I did not drink that week. 7AF

wk 41 : 21-9-2013 - 27-9-2013 :
I did not drink that week. 7AF

wk 42 : 28-9-2013 - 4-10-2013 :
I did not drink that week. 7AF

wk 43 : 5-10-2013 - 11-10-2013 :
I did not drink that week. 7AF

I did a small graphic of the first 43 weeks in excell :


Thank you!

Hi all,

Just to provide a quick feedback after almost 2 years.

In early 2014 my psychiatrist told me I was cured and said I had no need to go to see him again as I was no more drinking since several months. So for instance this last year (September 2014-September 2015) I drunk two times (with 50 mg Naltrexone). First time about 8 units in 6 hours and the second time about 6 units in 12 hours, at social celebration. The last two years I drunk maybe 5 times in total, including those two times I just described.

Alcohol is really crap, I miss nothing to not drink anymore and in fact it is much better to not feel any hangover anymore. I take no naltrexone, baclofene or xanax anymore and this is good. Only if I plan to drink will I take Naltrexone (50 mg), of course.

The next day, for tremors and anxiety due to alcohol withdrawal I would advise baclofene 30 mg it is very effective for this purpose. BTW Baclofene is not effective for reducing alcohol craving IMHO. Best cure is Naltrexone obviously. Hope this help.

Hovenal, thank you so much for coming back post. It is hearing what worked for others that keeps me committed to this process. Congratulations and thank you.

Hovenal, wow have you been through the wringer!! But it worked!! Thanks for sharing so much detailed information with us. xoxo Newlife

Hovelnal,

Thank you so much for returning and telling us about your progress 2 years out. I have always wonder what happens to the people that leave this forum, and it is nice to know that as long as I continue to do what I am doing I will not go back to my old habits.

I have not tried your combo and I will have to look into DHM more. I have my drinking sessions under "control"; however, the desire for more is still there. Did you feel that DHM helped with the desire?

Jaba