Drug to stop craving alcohol

Touty · 2024-03-21T16:52:51+00:00

Has anyone tried this? can’t remember what it is called. I have stopped drinking, I am 11 weeks sober. But I still have cravings and it makes me miserable. I have read about a drug which is taken with alcohol which eventually stops the desire for alcohol. Has anyone tried this? I would love to hear about experiences.

Pippa246 · 21/03/2024 17:16

@Touty - well done on 11 weeks - you are doing great.

Is it Acamprosate? I got it prescribed as it’s supposed to reduce cravings. It gave me such bad diarrhoea that I had to stop taking it - it was so bad I couldn’t leave the house. So it didn’t work for me but I only took it for about a week.

There is also naltrexone nalmefene - they’re not to stop cravings as such but when taken, you don’t get a buzz from alcohol so in theory it stops you wanting it - if you’re interested, google the Sinclair Method.

good luck

DetoxedAlcoholic · 21/03/2024 17:19

I had Acamprostate (not sure how to spell), it works alongside therapy or other types of regime. I rate it.

mindutopia · 22/03/2024 09:34

It's called the Sinclair method, though I don't know how well it would be funded under the NHS.

That said, if you are 11 weeks sober (well done btw! that's amazing!), you are out of the stage when you are having physical cravings. What you're feeling now is much more related to your emotional and psychological dependence on alcohol. I hate to say it, but I think it's much more about doing the work to change your mindset around alcohol than taking a pill. That doesn't mean you can't do both together, but you'll still need to address those issues and develop new habits.

For me, 12 weeks was a real turning point (I'm 11 months sober now). It got a lot easier after that. What do you do now when you have a craving? I got into a routine of having an AF drink every afternoon/evening about the time I'd start drinking previously. So either an AF beer or a tonic water with some fancy garnishes. And I'd listen to a sober podcast (usually while cooking dinner). This got me over the hump of the witching hour every day.

Sometimes it's just not putting yourself in a situation where drinking is part of the routine. To start, I didn't go to the pub. Didn't do anything with friends that involved meeting up for drinks. If I needed to, I put myself straight to bed with a book and just avoided the whole situation. Once sober, I didn't wake up in the morning craving a drink anymore (I did when drinking), so I knew once I went to bed, that would be me done for the day and I'd wake up feeling okay again in the morning.

Original poster

Touty · 23/03/2024 09:40

@mindutopia thanks so much for message, very inspiring.

yes I am struggling with the perceived loss of emotional comfort from alcohol. It’s having to navigate the ups and downs of life without having anything to numb me. When I had a bad day before I would just think ok I can have a few vodka tonics tonight and everything will just melt away, and that brought me comfort knowing that I had that escape to go to at the end of the day.

but I had a rock bottom event with alcohol in new year and I had to stop, I just put myself in dangerous situations when drinking to excess.

I find that the cravings come when I’m having relationship or family problems. I just have to ride out the waves of craving.

Its interesting what you say about going to bed early, I did find it easier in the winter with the short days and dark nights. Now the nighymts are lighter it’s more difficult, I live in Spain and it’s bar culture here, I also used to enjoy sitting on the balcony drinking in the summer. I really am dreading the summer.

OP posts:

change2022 · 24/03/2024 12:49

You need to tackle the desire at the base of the drinking, if not you will continue to have the cravings and the sense of FOMO even if you are not actually drinking. Desire is a feeling of want that is created by our thoughts. Even something as simple as "I want a drink, I miss drinking" will create feelings of desire.

Then when we use willpower to not drink ("I will be strong! I will resist! I can do this!!" etc) this requires so much effort that in time it becomes exhausting and we give in.

I help people with this so they get freedom around alcohol. A great first exercise is to write out all the thoughts you have about alcohol and drinking then see how frequently you think these things as you go about your day. See the connection between those thoughts and the desire you create to drink.

Once you get authority over your thoughts you get the power back. I used to be a pretty much daily drinker but these days feel no desire. I have a podcast called 90 Days Later - I would recommend episode 3 'Desire' as a great place to start.

Original poster

Touty · 25/03/2024 22:31

change2022 · 24/03/2024 12:49

You need to tackle the desire at the base of the drinking, if not you will continue to have the cravings and the sense of FOMO even if you are not actually drinking. Desire is a feeling of want that is created by our thoughts. Even something as simple as "I want a drink, I miss drinking" will create feelings of desire.

Then when we use willpower to not drink ("I will be strong! I will resist! I can do this!!" etc) this requires so much effort that in time it becomes exhausting and we give in.

I help people with this so they get freedom around alcohol. A great first exercise is to write out all the thoughts you have about alcohol and drinking then see how frequently you think these things as you go about your day. See the connection between those thoughts and the desire you create to drink.

Once you get authority over your thoughts you get the power back. I used to be a pretty much daily drinker but these days feel no desire. I have a podcast called 90 Days Later - I would recommend episode 3 'Desire' as a great place to start.

Thank you for this.

I do think about booze far too much during the day, it feels sometimes as if there’s nothing to look forward to at the end of a day. A lot of this is perhaps boredom, I bloody hate feeling bored it’s one of my worst feelings. It’s like, bored, anxious, depressed and then thirsty.

OP posts:

Northernsouloldies · 25/03/2024 22:52

Wasn't there one that made your body reject alcohol if you drank.. can't remember the name of it.

Onceacheetah · 25/03/2024 23:00

When you get that urge, ask yourself do you want to feel worse? Which is what will inevitably happen.

It works for me. 8 years sober and I deploy the "do I want to feel worse than I do right now?" maybe twice a year now. It gets easier x

Ineedaweewee · 25/03/2024 23:18

I definitely drink when I am struggling to sleep and absolute boredom. Husband is a very nice guy but am bored with his lack of fun ,interesting conversation etc .Just need GP to prescribe safe sleep medication!

Faez · 25/03/2024 23:25

I highly recommend joining the Sinclair method warriors group on Facebook and reading "the cure for alcoholism" in the file section. I did manage to get Nal through the NHS but had to (and continue to) jump through a lot of hoops.

MissisBoote · 25/03/2024 23:29

Naltrexone?

Original poster

Touty · 26/03/2024 16:29

Faez · 25/03/2024 23:25

I highly recommend joining the Sinclair method warriors group on Facebook and reading "the cure for alcoholism" in the file section. I did manage to get Nal through the NHS but had to (and continue to) jump through a lot of hoops.

@Faez how are you getting on with naltrexone?

OP posts:

Original poster

Touty · 26/03/2024 16:32

Ineedaweewee · 25/03/2024 23:18

I definitely drink when I am struggling to sleep and absolute boredom. Husband is a very nice guy but am bored with his lack of fun ,interesting conversation etc .Just need GP to prescribe safe sleep medication!

Edited

@Ineedaweewee yes I know what you mean, I have nice guy too but he never seems to want to do much!

Re sleep, I thane zopiclone, I don’t like taking them but …

OP posts:

Original poster

Touty · 26/03/2024 16:34

Onceacheetah · 25/03/2024 23:00

When you get that urge, ask yourself do you want to feel worse? Which is what will inevitably happen.

It works for me. 8 years sober and I deploy the "do I want to feel worse than I do right now?" maybe twice a year now. It gets easier x

This is such a great way of framing it! 8 years sober, congratulations

OP posts:

change2022 · 09/04/2024 16:42

@Touty Apologies for long delay in replying. I was travelling. Great insight you have about boredom. I can completely relate to this as boredom used to be a trigger for me. A great exercise is to intentionally 'do' boredom. As in pick a time, plan nothing, go towards boredom and pay attention. Actually figure out what the experience is like (kind of like being a scientist). Ask is it really as bad as you think? You may come up with some interesting answers...

Oceanbreeze227 · 29/05/2024 16:15

The thing is with joining groups on FB is that your friends and family can see that you've joined them.
Like someone said, I drink when I'm bored too and because I want to, although I know it won't make me feel better. The underlying is depression, which I've had for over 25 years. The alcohol makes me feel normal. I do know it's stupid but I still do it. Maybe it's because I'm not in a relationship and I miss loving someone. Also I know I need to sort myself out before that will happen but I still drink