The Sinclair Method is not for everybody, it would seem...

Thanks for that. Still not getting any rationale answer to why TSM should work better than the daily dosing. I understand it’s about “re-training” but I guess I need more specific information.....

Have you read the book that explains this?  Or watched the documentary that also explains it?

If not, then message me your email address and I will email you back a PDF copy of the book and the link to watch the documentary.

Sorry, I have just re-read the entire thread and see that you have read the book.

It completely explains the science behind the method in the book, but if you confused about the daily vs TSM way of taking naltrexone, I'll try explain below:

TSM allows a person to specifically target the blocking of those endorphins only, by only taking the tablet an hour before those endorphins are going to be released by the brain when alcohol is consumed.  This then leaves a person free to allow their brain to feel and enjoy the endorphins that are released during other activities.  The naltrexone is only taken prior to the specific behaviour that the person wants to extinguish (in our case drinking)

A person taking naltrexone daily blocks ALL endorphins from every activity.  There are no activities that can cause a chemical cascade in the brain thanks to the blockage from the naltrexone.

By specifically targeting only the drinking, the brain learns that drinking no longer produces a good chemical reaction anymore, but other activities to.  The easiest way to explain this is that an imaginary pendulum in your brain begins to swing from the activity that is no longer rewarding, towards the activity that is still rewarding.  Over some months, that pathway in the brain that had so strongly associated alcohol with the rewarding chemical reactions in the brain is weakened and eventually breaks down completely.  The brain no longer needs or wants alcohol because it knows that it doesn't provide that chemical rush anymore.

That is the science explained as easy as I can explain it.  On the C3 Foundation Europe website there is a two page explanation of the scientific way that naltrexone works to cause extinction of alcohol cravings written by Dr Sinclair himself, so if you google that then you can read the scientific explanation in detail.

There is no right or wrong way to feel when drinking on naltrexone.  Some say it feels different somehow, but can't put their finger on why.  Others say they notice that the drink tastes the same but after a couple of drinks they notice that the compulsion to continue drinking is gone and that they are satisfied with the couple they had.  And others say they feel no different drinking on the naltrexone at all.....

The blocking of the receptors happens in the part of the brain that has no feeling, hence why some don't notice anything other than the missing of that compulsion to continue.

When the endorphins are produced by the alcohol and attach to the receptors in the brain, it creates a chemical cascade that produces a whole other load of chemicals and reinforcees in the brain that alcohol produces this chemical reward.  By blocking the receptors in the brain, that cascade can not happen but the rest of the drinking experience remains - someone will still end up drunk if they drink too much, and a few glasses will still cause the relaxation effect. 

Some view naltrexone as the 'off' switch that allows them to stop when they are satisfied.  This is just like a normal drinker without an alcohol problem would do.  For the most part, they can have a few drinks, realise when they have had enough and then stop for the night.  For those like us, we want to be normal but that chemical cascade going on makes us compulsive continue and we lose control.  Naltrexone (taken correctly) prevents that cascade and so we are able to learn how to make better decisions when we drink.

Doing this over some months means that we stop obessing about alcohol and are no longer being driven to drink even when we shouldn't.  When extinction is reached, we can drink like a normal drinker if we so wish, but in many cases we often chose not to drink because we are back in the driving seat again and drinking on every available occassion just isn't that important anymore.  Other enjoyable activities such as being present with the family, enjoying sports, hobbies....  all this stuff becomes more important than drinking and the drinker can make the choice, rather than there being no choice because alcohol is the all-consuming drive that it previous was.  Many people who reach extinction just stop drinking because it is no longer important to them and they want to fully focus on other things.  The remainder tend to have a drink or two on social occasions.  It's an entirely personal decision depending on how you feel when you get reach that stage.

Hope that all makes sense.

On a slightly different note:

'Other enjoyable activities such as being present with the family'

I have the inlaws over today and tonight and they are driving me to drink. It is taking a lot of willpower not to leave them in the house and go to the pub.

Yes that is a good point :-)

Hope you survive the night!!

Sorry RH  had to laugh at this - I no  longer have mine but when I did alcohol used to "lighten the load" so to speak!  Keep smiling

I this from personal experience?  Or from the Cure for Alcohol Addiction?

Which part of my post are you referring to please, cm?

I have done TSM myself and followed the book The Cure For Alcoholism in order to do that, so as a general answer, I would say 'both'.

I've also now counselled around 800 people through it too, so I have a huge amount of experience with The Sinclair Method, but the base of all that comes from the book because it is the book that outlines the treatment as per Dr Sinclair himself.

Thank you VERY much.  I am three weeks into my cure and counseling .  

Since I am serious, I would like advise from people in the know.  I am soon to be 65 and have been a moderate to heavy drinker for 50 years.  There are so many aspects to consider that I am overwhelmed.  I seem to think too much about and do not like it always in the he forfro

Sorry,  Stupid IPAD !!

I meant forefront of my mind.

My dosage is 50 everyday.

CM, there are a number of people on here and we can all help you, but we need a little more information from you to get a better idea of how things stand:

To begin, are you taking naltrexone every day as a relapse prevention method (remaining abstinent, which is often the way it is prescribed even though it doesn't work too well taken this way) or have you begun The Sinclair Method (taking it one hour prior to drinking)?

If you have started The Sinclair Method, are you being counselled by someone who knows and understands about The Sinclair Method, or someone who is more used to counselling someone who is remaining abstinent?

I take it every AM since I drink everyday.

Okay, well The Sinclair Method (TSM) is all about targeting the endorphins that are released when drinking, so that the expected chemical reward reaction simply doesn't happen.  Eventually, over some months, your brain will stop getting the urge to drink because it will finally learn that it will not get the reward that it has been used to getting for so long.

This is best achieved by waiting until you get a craving or urge to drink, then take the tablet, wait the time and then take a drink.  By doing this, your brain most closely associates what it thought it was going to get with, basically, disappointment that the expected effect didn't happen.  You ONLY take the pill when you get an urge or craving to drink.

By taking the pill in the AM, firstly you are blocking endorphins from any other endorphin-releasing activities that you might do before drinking, and secondly, if your drink continues long into the evening, the effectiveness of the pill may be wearing off as your body metabolises it.

Also, it works best if you work in partnership with it.  What this means is starting to exert some control again when you have begun drinking.  This can be things such as put the drink in another room so you actually have to make a decision to get up and get another, have a soft drink between alcoholic drinks, eat a meat....  All of these things give you a little time to think about whether you really, really want another drink or whether you are done for that session.

Have you read the cure for alcoholism book, or watched the documentary One Little Pill?  These explain the treatment and how to go about using it most effectively.  If you haven't, send me a PM of your email address and I will send you a PDF copy of the book and give you the link for the documentary (I can't put links on here).

You've been drinking a long time, and so the pathways in your brain that associate alcohol with reward are strong.  It will take a little while for the naltrexone to break those pathways down, so in the meantime you can certainly help yourself by understanding the things you can do to make the process as smooth as possible.

Hope this helps!

Also it might be best if you start up your own discussion so that it is easier for you and others to follow.  Click 'New Discussion' at the top of the page and you will be able to create your own thread so that any advise given by everyone is specifically in your own thread and easier to refer to :-)

Thank you for the advise.  By taking it every morning, have noticed being lethargic.  I will start taking it 1 hour before I drink.  

  My counselor is 10 years sober, but he understands that is not my goal.  To say I will never drink again is setting the bar too high and consequently failure.  I want the physical addition to end so I can take control of my life in positive ways.

  I do have the book, but it would be better on my iPad.  Not sure what you mean by a PM of my email.

Yes, you want to be allowing your brain to get a good blast of 'good' endorphins and rewards from any behaviour that you do before the first drink of the day.  Possibly something like a brief walk around the block is a good idea, if possible.  It helps to teach the brain that things other than alcohol give a good reward, and with the naltrexone blocking the reward from alcohol, your brain will start to swing towards wanting the things that DO give it a good rush.

If you click on my username, my profile page will come up.  Underneath my name is a little envelope symbol.  Click on that and it will allow you to send me a private message.  Jot down your email address and send it to me, then I will send you the book back plus the link to the documentary.

It's great that your counsellor is 10 years sober - good for him!  But it does seem that he is not very understanding of this way of treating the issue, because the 1 hour before drinking rule is probably the most important thing.  But that is okay, between him, the book, the documentary, and us here on this forum, we will get you through it.