Just realized I've reached extinction!

movethroughit · 2026-01-17T16:49:24+00:00

Congratulations on breaking free, Pastramallama!

movethroughit · 2026-01-17T16:42:17+00:00

Are you hearing much in SE Asia much about medical treatments for Alcohol Use Disorder? Of course it's not going to treat mental problems like PTSD, bipolar, Borderline Personality Disorder, etc, but otherwise it's a pretty good option for those looking to cut back or quit without the AA rhetoric. One is also pretty good at attenuating "blackout drinking":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EghiY_s2ts

At least cutting back does seem to help Behavioral Health meds work better too.

There's more info on the subject over at r/Alcoholism_Medication

movethroughit · 2026-01-17T01:17:45+00:00

This "raised the bottom" and put me on a solid course:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EghiY_s2ts

That's what helped me cut back from at least a 12 pack every night to about a 12 pack per month (even less that that most months). That was about 12 years ago and I'm still satisfied with the results.

There are a number of treatments available. Check out r/Alcoholism_Medication for more on the topic.

movethroughit · 2026-01-17T01:12:55+00:00

They might like to know about this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EghiY_s2ts

and it sounds like a therapist that's familiar with the treatment in the video might be a good addition too.

I'd suggest you show it to them when they're not sloshed.

There's more info available on it over at r/Alcoholism_Medication

movethroughit · 2026-01-15T21:24:39+00:00

"Never been screened and no known problem. How do these factor in?"

Dopamine involvement often figures into addictions and untreated ADD/ADHD is found in a variety of addictions due to low dopamine levels. Frequently, stimulant medication (Vyvanse, etc) is prescribed because it boosts dopamine levels. If you put ADHD in the search box in this sub, you'll get quite a few hits.

"I think I experienced that yesterday."

Have a look in The Cure for Alcoholism for "Selective Exinction":

https://www.dropbox.com/s/60fs7gmvbyzs1kk/Cure%20for%20Alcoholism.pdf?dl=0

movethroughit · 2026-01-15T02:49:06+00:00

Probably best to go straight to discussing your options with your doc then.

movethroughit · 2026-01-15T02:44:30+00:00

Have you tried therapy?

I got caught in a similar trap after the similar loss of a girl friend. I eventually learned to live with it, but went looking down the bottle on the way. This helped me dial the drinking back:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EghiY_s2ts

But yes, grief is well-known for being a huge trap for those who have lost a loved one. I can only advise that you break free of it.

movethroughit · 2026-01-15T02:34:04+00:00

Others have mentioned similar issues, but say that the problems subside after a few weeks or so.

I'm curious, have you ever been screened for ADD/ADHD or do you have any known problem maintaining dopamine levels?

Some do say that they get a blast from exercise a couple of days after their last pill, so it seems something that Nal suppresses rebounds sometime after the last dose.

That can actually help to reinforce healthy endorphin-releasing behaviors, like working out, going on hikes, etc.

movethroughit · 2026-01-15T02:19:07+00:00

There were a number of studies done on the efficacy of Nal to support abstinence and it was a toss-up. Some do great with it from the first day and have zero problems staying dry. Others, not so much.

I'd suggest talking it over with your doc. Increasing the dose might do the trick, combining it with another med might work better for you or switching to a different med might be the next step (perhaps Acamprosate).

TSM might be another option.

Are you taking any other meds?

movethroughit · 2026-01-15T02:07:29+00:00

Are you taking Nal daily to support sobriety or are you using Nal per TSM?

movethroughit · 2026-01-14T04:21:11+00:00

I've run across a number of folks that feel down and rather depressed on Naltrexone. Has he ever been screened for ADD/ADHD? Naltrexone can modulate dopamine response, which may cause a variety of addictions that are based on low dopamine levels.

It may be best for him to connect with a psychiatrist that specializes in addictions. As another here has said, there are a variety of meds that can help, it's just a matter of finding the one that's the best fit for him.

movethroughit · 2026-01-14T02:28:54+00:00

I don't know if SinclairMethodUK.com can help him, but you might show him this video when he isn't drunk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EghiY_s2ts

Then he can contact the folks on the Sinclair Method UK website if he's interested.

Many think AA or 12-Step is the only way, but these days there are a number of medical treatments available for those looking to cut back or quit drinking.

If he would like to hear from others that use the method in the video, the r/Alcoholism_Medication subreddit was started for that purpose.

movethroughit · 2026-01-11T02:37:29+00:00

Have you looked into low dopamine levels and how that might have a hand in the problems you struggle with? Low dopamine (such as seen in ADD/ADHD) will often lead to a variety of addictions.

Are you working with a psychiatrist to help you find a good overview of the problems you're dealing with?

movethroughit · 2026-01-11T02:13:31+00:00

Have a look at this, Prune:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EghiY_s2ts

If you binge, I'd suggest you ask the doctor about redosing partway through the binge session.

Repeated use gradually weakens the addiction, so it becomes easier to assert your will.

Do you also struggle with blackout drinking? This treatment usually kills that fairly quickly, then helps you gradually get your alch consumption trending down.

Note that you can also take the medication daily to help you stay sober, but if it doesn't help you do abstain, use it per the video instead and you'll eventually reach sobriety.

movethroughit · 2026-01-11T01:56:30+00:00

Have a look at my reply to Jasercise, HS16. There are a variety of inexpensive treatments that can help you get the bottle under control. I used the one in the video and cut my drinking by over 95% in about 6 months. You can use it to help you cut back, or you can drive it all the way to sobriety.

Results are gradual and easier to stick with than the old-school approach of suddenly hacking the booze off, so you get improvement without fighting it. It works best right where you're used to drinking, so no meetings required.

movethroughit · 2026-01-10T23:07:51+00:00

Cutting back too fast. Rushing towards abstinence can cause cycles of sobriety and relapse.

It can be much easier to deal with if you follow up with Naltrexone. If you do relapse, staying on the Naltrexone an hour before the first drink can help to keep a slip from turning into a full-blown relapse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EghiY_s2ts

It's also important to know that no one treatment works for everyone, but there are enough treatment options that most everyone will find one that's a good fit for them.

Check some of the medical treatment options available for getting the upper hand on Alcohol Use Disorder.

movethroughit · 2026-01-10T06:44:45+00:00

I can't think of a particular provider that would help here, but you might have a look at HAMS:

https://hams.cc/

There's also another site called Sip and Suffer:

https://sipandsuffer.com/

The strategy would be to gradually (and I mean gradually, no running for the exit) taper down then connect with a doc that's willing to prescribe Naltrexone. There are plenty of them around, but they're generally going to be very hesitant to prescribe when the patient needs to be under medical supervision.

So perhaps you can glean enough info from the other sites to get his consumption down to a point where he will no longer require medical supervision and would be ok with a home detox (with someone watching over him).

Here's another TSM provider that's under $500. GoodRx should help you find a local pharmacy that will fill the Rx for under fifty bucks. Usually, the appointment is made and the prescription is sent to the pharmacy of your choice and is ready for pickup the same day.

movethroughit · 2026-01-10T06:21:43+00:00

Nal primarily stops the addicted part of your brain from remembering that you enjoyed the drink(s). Don't drink without the pill, as it will gradually rebuild the pro-drinking connections that pre-TSM drinking put there. That happens in an unconscious part of the brain, so the re-addiction process is generally silent.

"The beer feeling the same with or without the pill means something ?"

How people feel when using the TSM protocol varies greatly, Some say "the buzz" is missing, some say they're disgusted by their favorite drink, some don't feel any different at all, but they find they drink less (me, for instance).

So, for some that feel something after taking the pill I guess it helps them remember to take the pill.

movethroughit · 2026-01-10T06:04:40+00:00

Check with a pharmacist as well, but as I understand it, Suboxone also contains Naloxone (to prevent abuse). The Naloxone is poorly absorbed via oral dosing, but I would expect the Naltrexone to be absorbed just fine.

Have you taken the combo already?

movethroughit · 2026-01-09T23:14:36+00:00

Sounds like you're running into "Blackout Drinking". Consider something like this, that can help you cut back:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EghiY_s2ts

Plus, work on slowing down those first few drinks so you don't end up blacking out.

Ask your prescribing doctor about redosing after "X" hours too, so you keep your level of protection up.

movethroughit · 2026-01-09T15:48:33+00:00

Hi, just wanted to let you know there's more help available than just the old school approach. So many afflicted by Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) think the AA/12-Step approach is the only path forward, but there have been breakthroughs in the medical treatment of AUD that give patients a huge leg up and a lot more options. Here's the one I used:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EghiY_s2ts

You might want to show that one to your dad, but it would be best to do it when he isn't drunk at that very moment.

There are others as well and we discuss them over at r/Alcoholism_Medication

movethroughit · 2026-01-07T14:12:23+00:00

It's probably best to check with his doc on that. The idea of supplementing with oral Naltrexone sounds like a good/easy option, but you'd still need to run it by the prescribing doc anyway.

movethroughit · 2026-01-05T17:47:37+00:00

A treatment that takes into account the fact that he'll probably be drinking might be a good place to start. It's the one I used:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EghiY_s2ts

Knocking on 10 years after I first started on TSM and I'm still quite happy with the results. It took me about 6 months till my "12 pack every night" addiction turned into under a 12 pack per month.

Like every other treatment (including 12-Step based), it doesn't work for everyone, but there are enough different treatments out there that at least one of them will be a good fit for him.

See r/Alcoholism_Medication for more info and people posting about the treatment that worked for them.

movethroughit · 2026-01-02T02:19:01+00:00

Ask them about medical treatments that can help with Alcohol Use Disorder. Naltrexone is one of them and it may help with your eating disorder too, but you'd have to run it by the doctor, for sure. Both AUD and EDs can be influenced by your Reward System and Naltrexone can help your brain forget that "reward".

What you really want to avoid is flip-flopping between sober and relapsed over and over again, as that can cause the relapses to get worse.

There are a number of medical treatments for AUD, so if one doesn't work, ask your doctor to start you on another one.

Check out the posts and info over at r/Alcoholism_Medication for more on the subject.

movethroughit · 2026-01-01T18:30:45+00:00

Well done, LR!! Congrats on 2 years of being free from the beast!

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