I started TSM at the end of May and, although I am definitely not a fast responder and have had some bumps in the road, I am seeing some significant improvement in my drinking. I still crave alcohol and having A/F days does not come naturally quite yet.

I usually do a 21 to 30 day cleanse every spring and fall. It is not the type of cleanse that includes taking powders or supplements in place of food. During the cleanse I eat whole foods only, nothing processed, no dairy, grains, soy, or alcohol. I come away from the cleanse feeling wonderful and with better eating habits in place. It is always my hope that, after being without alcohol so long, I will moderate my drinking. That never happens. In fact, when I look back on it now, my consumption always increases after a cleanse.

My cleansing cohorts have the next 21 day cleanse scheduled for September 27. I really want to do it because my eating habits have been abysmal over the summer. My fear is that going without alcohol for 21 days will impede my progress. Without the nal or drinking I will go three weeks without working on extinction. Also, I am very concerned that, since I still have cravings, the alcohol deprivation effect will kick in after the cleanse.

I am torn. Thoughts?

Deena,

I need to leave, but I will look into this and see what I can find. Without thinking or looking it up facts, my first instinct would be to try it and if it is to difficult put it off until October and try again. I think if you listen to yourself and what your brain and body is telling you it will be fine. Are you able to listen to what you body, mind and soul is telling you on this diet, if so you will be able to hear if it is a good idea or not.

But I will try to see what I can find, for I am uneducated and have no answers, just thoughts


Jaba

if you can do however many days AF as part of your cleanse, I would say go for it & then go back to drinking on Nal afterwards. however, if you are craving strongly whilst doing it, then I would think that drinking moderately with Nal, if you really need to, would be better for your long-term TSM goals

-badger

I agree with badger.

I was thinking about what the book says about af days, if you can do them without much thought then see how many you can string along, but if at anytime you feel you're white knuckling it take the pill and drink and try at a later date. I would hate for you to slide backwards, for you are making so much progress. I don't think having a few af days would do that, but 21 af days if you are not ready could cause you some trouble. I know after I have had 4 to 5 af days when I would have a drink again it was hard to keep my intake down and I had to force myself stop at 2 1/2 glasses. If you do not feel strong enough to stop incase that happens, I would have to say do not do it.

I cannot remember your last af day Dee, was it hard for you?

Have you tried more than one af day recently?

If not, maybe try to have 2 af days to see how you feel and let that be your guide.

I was af last night and didn't even give a thought. It was 9 pm and I realized how easy it was. One down 4 to go.

Jaba

I completely agree with badger. I really don't think that 21 days can make a huge difference, this is a long haul sort of thing.

I did a cleanse similar to what you are talking about about two years ago and it also made me feel wonderful. It also made me feel good about myself that I could do it. Nowadays I am not sure that I could.

You will be fine.

xoxo Newlife

If you can do it I think that 21 days without alcohol could help you reinforce living without alcohol, which is not a bad thing. If it's a struggle then drink moderately.

If it helps 8 months into TSM by which point cravings had ceased to drive my drinking, I did embark on a regime which involved not drinking ANY alcohol for weeks at a time. It didn't seem to harm my progress and it didn't send me backwards. I did have some getting drunk instances when I finished that, but that only came from me and me alone!

Although you do still have cravings, you may find that TSM has done something to ease the cravings.

Another way of looking at it might be that this cleanse could be seen as another trigger to be worked through, it's part of your normal routine and as you say when you finish it you want to moderate but always go back to your usual ways.

I can do 21 days without alcohol quite easily. In fact, choosing to be alcohol free during a cleanse is easier for me than having one alcohol free day during a given week. I do not white knuckle it during a cleanse, I guess because I am so busy preparing food and eating clean, but actually failed at my last attempt at an AF day.

I sat last night and read through my journals. My last cleanse was 45 days in January and February. After I completed the cleanse my alcohol consumption skyrocketed from pre-cleanse consumption. The cleanse prior to that, in the fall of 2014, went the same way. I binged after I went back to alcohol after a 21 day cleanse. Spring of 2014...same thing. That says to me that I was suffering from the alcohol deprivation effect.

Since I still have significant cravings, I am afraid that I am not far enough along in my progress to not suffer that effect. Yes, I can go without the alcohol, but will I be setting myself up for binge drinking after it is over? Will I have effectively set my progress back by forcing abstinence, something the book says not to do?

UKB, If I had no cravings at this point, I think this would be a no brainer. I am already four months in, though, and do not want to further delay getting to that glorious point where I don't crave alcohol.

I have a few days before I have to decide. I can cleanse at any time, but it is fun to do it with friends. At this point I think I will eat clean and have an occasional glass of wine.

You may have decided on some version of this, but I was wondering if maybe you could do a shorter or more moderate cleanse? And I think the idea of just one glass of wine during it, if you can do that, is a great one. I have not read them but I have seen references in the media to studies that say that small amounts of daily wine are beneficial.

Once I saw what you said came from your diary re spiking after your cleanses I can see why you are concerned.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Becky

I agree with newlife's idea of a shorter or moderate cleanse. if you are in the middle of it in feel comfortable, then make it longer or more AF. not drinking is a good thing. sounds to me like you're ready for it.