Saw my shrink

[chilli]

Hi Guys,
Saw my shrink yesterday, told him about mwo, had no heard of it, but seemed to like the idea once he got over the fact that it wasnt a threat to his ego, he thinks that i should not count days as this is sort of anti productive, like get to the end of the month without drinking and then start again, thinks i should just take one day at a time, what do you think?
Listened to the cds, was a little frightened at first wasnt sure , thinking what are they putting into my head, just bought these bloody things off the net, what if it is some sort of cult, anyway got past that i am listening as we speak. Started my sups today so i will let you no how they go. By the way doc was not keen on topia had not heard of it, and was worried because it had not been approved in auz yet, he may do some research now. He seem to think that lexopro that i am on had similar qualities any one heard that?
any way thanks for listening update soon
chill

[Guest]

Saw my shrink

I count days as kinda a goal...like make it 30 days..then set another 30 day goal...like I am doing now...
Never did the CD's myself...i can't sit still that long... :0)

[Niblet]

Saw my shrink

I too have never listened to the CDs, although on the counting days thing, it really works for me... After the 30 days I didn't feel like I had personal permission to start back drinking atall... Rather the opposite for myself.. I sure hope that your shrink understands that what works for some doesn't always work for others.. I'm hoping that he/she has an open mind kinda like us guys ! I think that life lessons have to sometimes be put through your own personal filter and what ever stays in the seive for you will work... Boy can I ever ramble eh ? I wish you all the best luck in the world while experiencing this wonderful adventure... Hugs, ~Niblet~

[ScoobyDoo]

Saw my shrink

Hey Chilli

It sounds like you're making great progress!

Topa and Lexapro are very different. My sister is a Doctor in Forensic Psych and she reckons Lexapro should be put in Sydney's drinking water! :H

If your doc thinks Lexapro will do you good, I wouldn't hesitate in giving it a go. I took it for 12 months and it really helped lift me back out of a difficult spot I'd got myself into, post divorce.

I think you are doing all the right things... stick with it Chilli and keep posting, the good and the bad and mediocre. Have a great weekend!

Scoobs

[MDBiker]

Saw my shrink

Way to go chilli.:goodjob:
I don't agree with the shrink about counting the days. I think counting the days is one day at a time. I have to claim each day as I live it. I choose each day not to drink for that day. As time passes, I have built up a history of not drinking, and it is something I have accomplished... one day at a time. They even give out chits in AA for every 30 days up to 3 months, then 6 months, then 9 months, then one year. After that they celebrate every year as it occurs. One day at a time with accomplishment. It's a good thing.

As far as the lexapro being effective for treating alcoholism, I doubt it. My wife and daughter are bipolar and both of them have taken lexapro. It is a great drug for bipolar, but it didn't seem to do anything to help with my daughter's drinking. Of course she wasn't trying to quit. Sometimes it might be good to use other drugs for depression and bipolar in addition to a stop drinking drug i.e. nalextron, campral, vivitrol, and topamax but I think he needs to take a close look at the other drugs. It sounds like he is receptive, so maybe he will get on board and learn some from this. Also, I am not a Dr., so I am only speaking from what I have learned dealing with this.

The CD's are a great help to me. If you have the ones from MWO, there is nothing on there to be worried about. These will curtail your desire to drink, and give you a better feeling about who you are. I listen to them all the time. I run the subliminal on a loop at work all the time. I think it is even working on the people working around me too. :H

Anyway, seeing the psy is a good step and I bet you do fine.

( and you thought you could ramble niblet)

bear

[lucky 2.0]

Saw my shrink

I like 1 day @ a time.

[Popeye]

Saw my shrink

Counting days is good for me too.
I find the CD's extremely relaxing.
If I put them on at drink o'clock, by the time I'm finished listening, the vodka shop has usually shut. Crisis over.
Whatever tools you can utilise, in whatever way that works for you, is good.

[Flip]

Saw my shrink

Hi Chilli,

For me, counting days was really important in the beginning so I could really see how well I was doing. But somewhere around the three month mark I stopped counting days, it just didn't seem quit so important anymore. Now I just count the months (6 today!).

As for the drugs, my Dr (who has a special interest in this stuff) has me on Lithium as well as campral. She attended a conference in Melbourne a few months back and the latest research (from Canada, US and Europe) is indicating that approx 85% of WOMEN respond to bi-polar meds for alcohol problems.

I have to say that in my case it's working well. I feel 'normal' and no longer feel a need to drink. I am cutting back on the campral (only on two a day anyway) and still feeling no cravings or urges.

I am also going to a counsellor and reading everything I can get my hands on regarding alcoholism and codependency.

Flip

[louise]

Saw my shrink

Chilli, So glad to hear things are going better. I really like the drink tracker (but I didn't get to input today! It must be on east coast time - it had switched to June and was not yet 11 here). It is still 1 day at a time living but with a little challenge for yourself. I think the cds are really helping me a lot - no other way to explain the dramatic craving reduction. I listen to the subliminal several hours a day while I am doing other stuff and fit in others if I have time, maybe every 3rd day.

[gitawine]

Saw my shrink

Chilli, I saw my therpaist today too...told her about MWO last week, she seemed interested, however she is not a psychiatrist so can't prescribe meds anyways, but I am not planning on doing hte Topa. I got my CD's and supps the other day, tried listenng to the Clearing CD last night but fell asleep (I think for real, not because I was hypnotized I was exhausted) For the record, It felt good when I did 20 Days AF to be able to add one more day to the count. You can take one day at a time, just add them up haha

[Mags]

Saw my shrink

Hi Chilli
I told my shrink about MWO several weeks (months?) ago. She had never heard of it, but checked it out and has since recommended it to at least one other patient that I know of. She is open to the idea of online support. I can't help with the meds, since all I take is Prozac for depression which is prescribed by another one of my doctors. ( I also take some of the supps and listen to the cd's).
I think the standard shrink response (which they learn in shrink school?) is to send everyone to AA. But I tried that and it just isn't right for some people. I think the more we tell our doctors about this site, the more they will start to recommend it and hopefully the more it can help others.
As for the counting of days, I am like MD, (ha! and he says he's not a doctor!), I count only one day at a time. Every day is day zero and every day AF is a success. I use the drink tracker, but I don't count the days. I just look forward to putting that little zero in. I don't worry about yesterday or tomorrow. But different things work for different people. Do whatever works for you!
Love
:l