Hello everyone,

Just read about the Sinclair Method a couple of days ago. Have already made an appointment with my doctor for a script for naltrexone. I have no idea what her reaction will be, hopefully supportive. If she won't give me a script then I'll order online. The book excerpts were pretty informative. It's not brain surgery, 'take 25mg one hour before drinking, two days later increase the dose to 50mg one hour before drinking, I think I've got it.

I'm not so sure about the antagonist blocking receptors for other pleasurable things like working out, sex etc.

My father drank himself to death. So did my aunt on my mother's side. I've been drinking for 25 years. One bottle of wine each evening, sometimes a little more. Tried to stop drinking many times. Hoping naltrexone works. Listened to various interviews with Sinclair on the topic and it seems hopeful to me.

Was very happy to hear that alcohol dependancy is bio-chemical rather than my poor will power, or because 'I'm a bad person, and should just stop'. In every other area of my life I'm proud of my accomplishments, such as they are, but feel so disgusted and ashamed of myself when I fall asleep drunk at night.

WELCOME dollydaydream
I completely relate to all you say in this last paragraph. I too do all these wonderful things in my life, things I am proud of and feel self confident accomplishing. Then why in the morning was I waking up thinking, :"Oh No! I did it again!"? Then it would all start all over. So very discouraging and depressing, not the way to start the day.

So good luck and hope you have a good experience with the Sinclair Method Glad you found the site. Stay in touch

Welcome dolly, you've found a wonderful resource. This site is extremely helpful for anyone trying out the SM. I am pretty new here (only on the SM for a week), and find all the information and advice from more experienced people (inc. Dr Eskapa) really useful and encouraging. Good luck with your journey.

Hello Dolly !

Good luck with your doctor. I hope he / she is open minded. If not, you can order from River.

I feel the same way over here about being normal in every other aspect of my life...This week on Sinclair I have been doing all of the same things I normally do but without the nasty hangover and without the guilt...and I have actually enjoyed a good part of the week. This morning, one week into treatment, I feel very relaxed and alive. And no guilt. I had 1/2 a bottle of wine last night instead of the whole thing and I took the Nal before so I knew it was one more notch in my belt towards getting better. Tonight, trying to do a social outing with drinking so I can extinguish that behaviour.

Again, I am only a week into treatment like Shasha...but I finally feel like I'm doing something positive to help my addiction, instead of beating myself up every morning. My drinking levels will likely go up this week but the feeling that I am actually addressing my addiction while the levels go up, is going to be a welcome new feeling for me.

Also: The book states that if you stop taking Nal for a few days, then you can start reintroducing pleasurable activities and those will actually be reinforced. So if you take a break on Friday and Saturday, by Sunday you can do the pleasurable things and they will not only not be extinguished but you may enjoy them even more.

Glad you are joining us - post often! I am very hopeful about this treatment. It feels right to me...

Hi Dolly

I also felt very relieved when I read Dr. Eskapa's book- for years I had thought I was a weak person who could not face life like other people- it was a huge breakthrough for me to read why I became addicted to alcohol.

I haven't found the other pleasurable activities to be a problem, maybe because I don't do much of them! *sigh*

Wishing you the best of luck with your doctor- I am wondering she might be more familiar with the method as you are in Scandanavia- it will be interesting to find out.

Please keep us posted!

Well Hello Dolly,
Dr. Eskapa addresses the principle of other endorphin producing activities but right now your main objective is to get the addictioin under control. When you reach a point of non-drinking / non-nal days, you can cash in on those extra receptors and have some super-experiences. But that won't be for a little while.

I have been to Bergen and there was no shortage of drinking there.

Welcome

I read your well worded post to the doctor. I had asked an earlier one about sex on Naltrexone.

Here is my take. I would take my Naltrexone and do life. I would not sweat the small stuff and it is all small stuff, as they say.

You still have traces of Naltraxone and you go skydiving. I guess you may unlearn some of the Rush you got but remember, the unlearning is a very gradual process. Later on as your consumption dimimishes and you have days w/o drinking (and you will) you can go running or skydiving, etc., etc. and will "re-learn the endorphic association. This is no different than drinking without Naltrexone after we have extinguished our addiction. We will quickly learn the association back. Of course, we never want to do that. But I see no reason why this process would not be the same for non-drinking activities.

We are very malable beasts and I doubt any unlearning is cast in stone.

Do life.