Right before Thanksgiving 2012, I finally gave up and sought help for my alcoholism. I'd been drinking many years, either 2-1/2 liters of wine or 1/2 750ml bottle of whiskey or gin each night. Not just a problem drinker. As a widowed mom of 2 school age children, I wouldn't start drinking until their bedtime but then....
Anyway, I asked my physician to prescribe naltrexone for me, I'd read a little about it. He did and that day, after doing more research, I happened upon The Sinclair Method. And really, that sounded amazing and way too good to be true. I could someday be back to that social drinker I'd been for most of my life? I could be normal-ish?
So yeah, anytime the rest of my life if I wanted a drink, I'd need to take a pill beforehand? Not exactly a big price to pay in exchange for not drinking to blackout, risking my life, my children, my job, etc.
So I started. I read the book. I felt kind of loopy the first 5 or so days. My drinking dropped, then went right back up again. Ok, the book said 3-6 months. 6 months, I'm still drinking like a fiend. But I'm taking that pill. 9 months. Sigh. Still drinking those same amounts. But not giving up. A year. Really. Pretty much thinking that this isn't going to work for me. But he'll, still taking the pill. Then at about 15 months, my drinking just kind of stopped. I might have a drink at a party, but for the most part, eh, I don't really care.
I tested this new me. I bought a box of wine. Drink a couple of glasses. That's it. Tried again a month later. Actually tried to drink more. Woke up with a headache and the feeling that there had been no point, no enjoyment. Perfect, thank you!
I think the biggest fault that I have with the book is that whole 3-6 month thing. I'm so glad that I stuck with it. So damn glad.
I don't delude myself. Could I slip, yeah, sure, I guess. But I don't ever care to go back to that desperate, tormented drunk I had been.
I'm angry that this treatment is not more well known. I'm angry that people shoot it down because of prejudices without giving it a fair shake. It's totally not for everyone, but for many of us, it's magical.
Anyway, I asked my physician to prescribe naltrexone for me, I'd read a little about it. He did and that day, after doing more research, I happened upon The Sinclair Method. And really, that sounded amazing and way too good to be true. I could someday be back to that social drinker I'd been for most of my life? I could be normal-ish?
So yeah, anytime the rest of my life if I wanted a drink, I'd need to take a pill beforehand? Not exactly a big price to pay in exchange for not drinking to blackout, risking my life, my children, my job, etc.
So I started. I read the book. I felt kind of loopy the first 5 or so days. My drinking dropped, then went right back up again. Ok, the book said 3-6 months. 6 months, I'm still drinking like a fiend. But I'm taking that pill. 9 months. Sigh. Still drinking those same amounts. But not giving up. A year. Really. Pretty much thinking that this isn't going to work for me. But he'll, still taking the pill. Then at about 15 months, my drinking just kind of stopped. I might have a drink at a party, but for the most part, eh, I don't really care.
I tested this new me. I bought a box of wine. Drink a couple of glasses. That's it. Tried again a month later. Actually tried to drink more. Woke up with a headache and the feeling that there had been no point, no enjoyment. Perfect, thank you!
I think the biggest fault that I have with the book is that whole 3-6 month thing. I'm so glad that I stuck with it. So damn glad.
I don't delude myself. Could I slip, yeah, sure, I guess. But I don't ever care to go back to that desperate, tormented drunk I had been.
I'm angry that this treatment is not more well known. I'm angry that people shoot it down because of prejudices without giving it a fair shake. It's totally not for everyone, but for many of us, it's magical.
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