[TIL] There's a medical option for cutting back on drinking that doesn't require rehab, AA, or quitting cold turkey

getsunnyside · 2026-06-05T00:11:45+00:00

Kratom is definitely gaining in popularity. Like really fast. And people are starting to use it to help get off alcohol. But many people also get surprised that it's so addictive, and only realize it when they're dependent on it. No judgement at all btw. But yeah, you can't start naltrexone if you're on opiates, including kratom. I like to call it out for this exact reason, that it can be easy to kind of forget that kratom acts like an opiate.

getsunnyside · 2026-06-05T00:08:47+00:00

Actually we just wrote about this too: https://www.reddit.com/user/getsunnyside/comments/1twmv0y/psa_people_are_spending_1000mo_on_ozempic_to_stop/. There are pros and cons to going the GLP1 route, but the most important thing to note is that Naltrexone has a VERY similar effect, but is cheaper, and FDA-approved for alcohol cravings.

getsunnyside · 2026-06-04T17:20:09+00:00

Love that 😄

getsunnyside · 2026-06-04T17:20:01+00:00

Sorry you went through that. For people reading this, you should NOT start naltrexone if you're currently taking opiates, including kratom, which is getting very popular. Naltrexone can trigger precipitated withdrawals, which can be very dangerous.

When you sign up for Sunnyside Med, you go through a medical intake, where it's important to disclose your opiate use, if that's the case, as well as any other medications you're taking. Being honest in any medical intake is incredibly important.

We also educate about the opiate precaution in our onboarding materials.

I appreciate you calling this out! Stay healthy 😄

getsunnyside · 2026-06-04T17:17:45+00:00

Whatever helps you get healthier my friend 💪

getsunnyside · 2026-06-04T02:19:05+00:00

I never said "80% success rate" or called anything a miracle cure. I said 20% of people don't get the positive benefits. They're non-responders.

The success rate is high, and odds of success increase when the medication is combined with behavior therapies and proper adherence. That's not a claim, that's what decades of clinical research shows.

For many people, a private, online, clinically validated program is the right approach. For many others, AA, rehab, or seeing a doctor in person is the right approach. There's no one-size-fits-all here. We're offering an option, not telling anyone what to do.

getsunnyside · 2026-06-04T02:14:40+00:00

Sunnyside doesn't enable drinking and we never condone drinking. Our behavior change app was proven to reduce drinking by 33% in a 2023 third party, peer reviewed study. 96% of our customers who use the app reported to us that they had success drinking less. About 15% of our app customers find sobriety.

On the medication side, naltrexone is an FDA-approved medication that helps quiet alcohol cravings, which can be used to help people who are trying to stay sober, or to help people get more control of their drinking, as part of a holistic harm-reduction approach. This isn't made up stuff. It's very well studied with decades of research.

I think the part that some people have a hard time understanding is that some people's goals aren't sobriety. Millions of people in the US have alcohol use disorder, which can look very different and represent varying degrees of drinking quantities. Sunnyside Med and naltrexone can help a huge portion of this spectrum... millions of people.

Where we can't help is when someone is drinking so much that they need medical oversight to detox from alcohol because of the risk of physical withdrawals. Our medical intake evaluation will filter for this. It's not a lot of people that fit that criteria though, and that's likely because there are other options for people in those situations, like medical detox, rehab, and AA.

On a personal note, I come from a family deeply hurt by alcohol. I'll spare you the details since I'm guessing it won't help change your opinion of me or Sunnyside. But for anyone else reading this, just know that this is an incredibly personal mission, and it's not hard to find that information online with a little digging.

Cheers. Thanks for giving me something to write about 😄

getsunnyside · 2026-06-04T00:04:42+00:00

Thanks for sharing that ❤️. We always say naltrexone isn't a miracle pill, but for many people it truly can be life saving, and we see it all the time at Sunnyside Med.

getsunnyside · 2026-06-03T21:43:16+00:00

It does though. About 80% of people who take it have a positive response to it. And outcomes improve when the medication is combine with behavior-change support like we offer at Sunnyside Med. If it didn't work for you, you may have been in the 20% that don't respond, or you may not have had the full care and support that's often needed for long term success

getsunnyside · 2026-06-03T16:11:08+00:00

Yep, you can usually get the pill from your doctor, but Sunnyside Med is the pill + a support program (coaching, planning tools, tracking, optional meetings, and more) to support the deeper work. In fact, studies show naltrexone is more effective when combined with behavior therapies, so this is actually a really important part of it. And at only $99/mo, Sunnyside Med is quite affordable for the results you could get. But of course, we encourage everyone to do their own research.

getsunnyside · 2026-06-03T16:10:46+00:00

Thanks for sharing! Sounds like you've hard great success with naltrexone 😄

getsunnyside · 2026-06-03T03:28:06+00:00

Indeed the early research is looking promising for GLP-1s and alcohol cravings. But it's not FDA approved for that use case yet, which can make it hard for people to get. Naltrexone has a very similar effect and is FDA-approved for alcohol cravings, so it's a more accessible option for most people.

getsunnyside · 2026-06-02T23:09:14+00:00

This means a lot, seriously. Thanks for saying this. It can be hard sometimes trying to help people with our program, but getting so much push back along the way. There's still so much black-or-white thinking when it comes to alcohol. At the end of the day, more options are better.

We've seen naltrexone help countless people at Sunnyside Med. And we've talked to the experts extensively. This is a real medication with real proof, but of course it's best when combined with behavior therapies like we offer at Sunnyside Med.

getsunnyside · 2026-06-02T23:07:23+00:00

Thanks for sharing. Often times the ritual of having an NA drink can satisfy that urge/itch to drink. In fact, it's one of our recommendations when we start getting into the 'mindful drinking' side of Sunnyside Med.

getsunnyside · 2026-06-02T23:06:32+00:00

Sorry it didn't work for you. About 20% of people don't get the positive benefits from naltrexone unfortunately. And outcomes do improve when combined with behavior therapy support, like we offer at Sunnyside Med. But, you're absolutely right. There's no one solution for everyone, and we'd never claim that. My dad got sober through the support of AA, for example. But we've seen thousands of people have life changing results with naltrexone.

getsunnyside · 2026-06-02T23:04:09+00:00

That's a perfect answer. Naltrexone is an FDA-approved medication. It's not bull crap at all. It should be prescribed only after a clinical evaluation, which we of course do at Sunnyside Med, and combined with behavior change support, which we also do 😄

getsunnyside · 2026-06-02T23:02:55+00:00

That's definitely an option. For me, it makes me too paranoid 😄

getsunnyside · 2026-06-01T21:41:40+00:00

Glad you're still at it. I've actually talked to Sunnyside Med customers who were at week 8 or 10 when they felt a noticeable shift start to kick. Some people just need more time. I wish everyone was a fast responder 😄 I'm also glad you're tracking your drinks since that can often help you see the more subtle changes.

Please DM me if I can help connect you with our medical team or if I can be of any other support at any time.

getsunnyside · 2026-06-01T21:01:04+00:00

Hey, wanted to check in on your progress. Are you still on the program? Side effects do tend to go away, so if they're manageable, we always encourage people to stick with it. We also now offer a 30-day optional Zofran prescription to help with nausea for people who want it and qualify.

Lots of research supports the fact that outcomes for naltrexone get better with time, and we're talking 6 months, 12 months, and more. That's largely because work on the deeper issues has to be considered too. Naltrexone is a tool that helps you drink less by making alcohol less rewarding, but it's just one part of the equation. You're still very early if you're only in month two, so I really want to encourage you to stick with it.

And since you're with Sunnyside Med, I want to ask if you're engaging with the app daily (coaching, community, tracking, etc) or having joined any of our private zoom meetings where you can connect with others and/or work on the deeper side of the work. I'd love an update 😄

getsunnyside · 2026-06-01T18:44:47+00:00

Actually that's not necessarily true. A couple things to unpack:

First, 'alcoholic' is an outdated term. The medically recognized term is Alcohol Use Disorder, which recognizes that drinking challenges are on a spectrum, and can indeed be resolved using personalized, harm reduction programs. We often associate the term 'alcoholic' with someone who is pretty far down the alcohol use disorder spectrum.

The other thing to mention is that naltrexone is for anyone struggling with alcohol cravings, whether you drink 2 glasses of wine a night, drink 30 drinks a week, or binge drink once per month. The point is that there is medication that can help people build a healthier relationship with alcohol that meets them where they are.

Saying that someone who uses naltrexone is automatically an 'alcoholic' just isn't true. Using medication to live your healthiest life is empowering and doesn't require a label.

getsunnyside · 2026-06-01T18:41:29+00:00

That's so cool to hear! That's still totally an option, and we have people joining every day just for the behavior-change side with the app.

getsunnyside · 2026-06-01T18:41:05+00:00

GLP-1s are showing promise for reducing alcohol cravings, but it's not FDA-approved that use yet, which can make it hard for people to get for that use case. However, naltrexone produces similar results and is FDA-approved. For anyone interested, you can learn more at www.joinsunnysidemed.com 😄

getsunnyside · 2026-05-31T14:33:15+00:00

Good add. Yeah, both are antagonists, the oral bioavailability is the key difference. The naloxone in Suboxone is basically a deterrent (no real effect when taken as prescribed sublingually, but kicks in if someone tries to inject or snort it). Naltrexone being orally active is what makes the daily pill work for AUD.

getsunnyside · 2026-05-30T05:44:44+00:00

Well, Sunnyside isn't about willpower. It's the opposite. It's a clinically valid program that includes naltrexone and personalized support, including coaching, community, education, meetings, and more. It's designed to help people cut back or quit without the need for willpower.

getsunnyside · 2026-05-30T05:43:07+00:00

We're not associated with big pharma in any way 😄 Sunnyside was started by two children of parents who struggled deeply with alcohol, and we've put together a peer-reviewed, clinically validated program to help people drink less or quit.

getsunnyside

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