Thanks everyone!

Today was in fact an AF day. Just a few fleeting thoughts around "drinking time", but I didn't have anything. I think this is the first time my wife has left the house on a Saturday late afternoon and I didn't immediately bolt to the local store for some AL. It's funny though, that even with my drinking way way down, I still would like those fleeting thoughts to go away, even though they were easily dismissed. I guess now I'm asking for the world.

Well, tomorrow is another extinction day beginning early evening.

Bob

PS I said my "final" farewell to my terminally ill friend of 34 years yesterday. Both of us outwardly acted as if we were just parting for a short period of time to meet again in the near future, but I could feel that both of us knew inside it was our last visit prior to the impending death. It was a happy visit, just as it should have been.

Congratulations Bob

You've been an inspiration to many here already and I'm personally delighted that after some hard times the method really seems to be delivering for you. Your progress gives us all strength

Great report Bob.

I was just looking at your signature progress and realized we are basically in the same week progress wise. While I have been on TSM for 22 weeks, you have to subtract 3 off of this as I stopped taking NAL for 3 weeks because I was put on opiate pain meds for this time.

It is amazing how quickly the control comes isn't it? It really is like someone flipped a switch.

Q

Thanks, 1-4-the-road, Q, WaitingToExhale!

Not so much control tonight, more like revulsion. I never thought about it before, but maybe I really don't like alcoholic beverages. Tonight, I had planned on having 3 or 4 Guinness', but I not only had trouble drinking the first one, I had to wait an hour before I tried the second one. Both tasted like pure alcohol mixed with other some foul liquid. I managed to finally finish the second one, thinking of the buzz. But the buzz never came tonight. So, in summary, I maxed out at 2 beers this evening unable to drink any more.

It is becoming more real to me with each passing day of my newly found cure, that not only can I control my alcohol intake, but that I really don't like the taste of these beverages. I would much rather have something else... anything else. This may be the dark side of TSM, although abstinence was always my ultimate goal. But, I always thought I would have choice at the end. Instead, I seem to be progressing toward a distaste for anything alcoholic as exhibited by this evening's experience. Perhaps I am reverting to my teenage years prior to my alcohol conditioning. I never liked the taste as a young person. I only drank it because others did and eventually because of the buzz. Now, I don't drink with others and I cannot seem to drink enough to get a buzz. I am left with a beverage I just do not like. And at the time of this post... I couldn't be happier!

Bob

Bob,
Must be a somewhat confusing place to be, to not even like the taste of alcohol. I remember feeling that way when I was pregnant with my triplets 12 yrs ago...couldn't stand the taste of wine or champagne (nature's way) -- but haven't felt that way since!

I'm so sorry to hear about your friend. Parting that way is probably the best. You really don't know when you will see him again. It's hard, though....I have lost several friends, a few to cancer, one to a freak train accident, and one to heart disease. As we get older, the inevitable happens.

I am excited to read about your progress. Perhaps you will enjoy your Guiness once again, if that's your goal. I would be upset if I couldn't enjoy an occasional glass of good wine. (But not as upset as I am that I can't STOP enjoying the more-than-occasional glass!)

Thanks for keeping us updated. As houtx said, you rock!!!!

Hey Bob -
On the one hand, I am happy for you. On the other, so sad for the loss of your friend. Death is part of life & all that, but still...

I am so sorry for your loss. So very happy you are doing well and so very thankful you are with us here...keeping fingers crossed for continued good fortune on all fronts.

H4B: TRIPLETS??!! OMG - you win!! Get that girl a glass o' wine!! Sheesh!! :-)

The graph says it all...

Bob

Bob, I am thrilled for you! However, may I make a note, in case others who see this amount of progress become discouraged when they don't experience the same.

Let's take note that our highly intelligent, motivated Bob3d suffered through weeks of revulsive aversion therapy where he forced himself to take medicines that made him vomit up every alcoholic beverage he consumed. UGH!!! He eventually could only tolerate one kind of beer. . .his 'now beloved' Guinness. I suspect that the previous therapy is now 'kicking in' for Guinness as well. My experience has been/is becoming that the taste of AL is just not as seductive as it was. If you were to combine this with the effect of previous aversion therapy: viola'!

We all are traveling a different path on this journey to a common destination. Bob's previous road-map may be contributing to his current success. (And really, Bob, I am SO VERY HAPPY for you.) Those of you/us who are many weeks 'ahead' of Bob in practicing TSM, and not experiencing the same level of success. . .know that he laid a different ground work.

Meet you at the finish line (though you might have to wait up for me)!

Thank you for stating this conclusion as an "outsider". I thought of this observation recently. I am definitely not the typical (whatever that means) alcoholic. I have indeed undergone a prior therapy which partially worked. However, I could not eliminate the craving for AL. After a couple of months of abstinence, I searched for something that would relieve the craving. I found that in Guinness Stout. TSM has allowed me to begin to extinguish the craving for alcohol. TSM would have worked if I had not undergone that repulsive aversion therapy. I cannot undo what I have done with that method, but it proved to be incomplete. TSM is completing it for me. I only offer my documented experience here for others to see that it can happen for them too.

BTW, I have never have declared victory. I think that the jury is still out. Time will tell. I want a month or more of diminished or no craving prior to me "declaring" the elusive victory. Although "victory" is still not definitively here, diminished craving and AL intake have conclusively declined as previously exhibited in my graph. Ultimate extinction is inevitable. And to all who read this, know that your alcohol intake will diminish significantly under TSM.

This night, I have had more AL than I had all of last week (five, right now). My computer died today. My computer is more than a pet, but less than a friend, and it is part of me. For it to die, requires some mourning. Yes, it is a "thing", but it is a thing that I spend a lot of time with and enjoy. It will be missed while I search for a replacement. (I am posting this from my work computer).

If the loss of a loved one is a trigger, then I am experiencing a trigger in the loss of my computer. Yes, I will recover and I'll have a "new" computer, but it will be still be a loss nevertheless. I will miss it. R.I.P.

Bob

Kind of an odd post of mine last night. My priorities were screwed up. My laptop doesn't deserve to be in the same thread as my dying friend. I can get another laptop. It is a thing. I can't get my friend back.

I had 6 units last night and slept in my chair all night. Not a proud moment, but it was an excellent reminder that I am not yet cured. Certainly getting there, though. I am having difficulty imbibing this evening for instance.

So, I'll be around for the foreseeable future, despite my downward trend.

Bob