Have I Found My Off Switch

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Hi there.

Im posting this to share my story with the aim of helping anyone who needs it. I have spent my entire life trying to moderate and stop repeating shambolic behaviour. I have spent 20 odd years weekend binge drinking and more often than not to the point of blackout. Nine times out of 10 I’ll be able to get up in the morning and have my normal routine, exercising, going for a run or a walk, socialising and seeing the family, et cetera, but mentally I felt like I complete disaster and by the time Monday would come I’d be a shadow of my former Friday self 😔 Binge drinking was threatening my health, my relationships and my career … not to mention my self respect and sanity. So in the last five years I started a journey to educate myself on alcohol and cut back, but when it got to the point of wanting to stop and finding myself not able to at the weekend I realised that alcohol was actually bigger than me 😳 I have had long periods of abstinence, I know the benefits of not drinking, but I couldn’t do it on willpower alone. I would reach 20 days max and start moderating then failing to moderate and right back where I started. It was driving me insane, the constant chatter in my head to drink or not to drink.

I’ve done a lot of research over the last few years, and after trying every single thing out there including telling my Gp (not much help), quit lit (my faves: Abi feltham on Instagram, They think it’s all sober podcast, bryony Gordon and Davinia Taylor on insta) hypnotherapy, journaling, eating more sweet foods instead of wine (cake/ ice cream) and AA, I read about The Sinclair Method …. I’m now on my second weekend and it’s given me an off switch that I’ve never had. It’s not for everybody, and you will probably be able to quit easier than me- but for me it’s life changing and I only wish that I’d got started years and years ago. I now have a small wine at the weekend each evening, I don’t want any more, I go to bed with a clear head. I wake up feeling fresh. Thank god I found Dr Janey Merron as she’s helped me change my life, or, the second part of my life for sure!

There’s also a wonderful community called dryy (it’s an app) started by Andy Ramage, (OYNB) and the people in there are just beautiful, so kind and inspiring. It’s free. I would definitely recommend posting in their chat room too.

If you’re struggling with alcohol, you may find you’re able to do it just through willpower and a strong mindset realising that you’re not losing anything by not drinking, and like many in this community you’re able to be sober and not running around in circles every weekend year after year, but for me…. I didn’t find it at all possible 😫 but I’m alright now ☀️👑 thanks to TSN (The Sinclair Method) or LDN (low dose naltrexone)

❤️‍🩹❤️

Genuine question. Not being smart. Why bother? Why have anything? Is the one small glass a negotiation with yourself?

Why take alcohol off the menu completely . Then it’s off the table. Im curious at the energy put into having 1 glass.

Same as the above poster ~ why ?

I gave up drinking over two years ago. Was on a lot more than you and just gave up. Why the one drink?

I think it may help that alcohol is not "forbidden" and allowing yourself a small amount is better than trying to cut it out completely and failing miserably.

It’s a habit that TSM will help me to break. You’re right, eventually I’ll not drink at all. I’m already starting to think ‘why bother’ as I’m not getting the usual euphoric lift from it. I’m only two weekends in after 20 years plus of binge drinking. That’s the aim of TSM. 🙏🏼 I’m not denying myself anything and my brains being rewired by not experiencing the huge buzz from a glass of wine. It’s breaking the connection xx

I think it’s wonderful that you’re on this journey and feeling positive. And also that you are looking towards the future of having no alcohol in your life at all.

I will admit I am a bit skeptical of TSM and similar approaches, because I think all of us know that long term moderation doesn’t work. And often people try to use it so they can keep drinking without so much carnage (which isn’t really sustainable for 10, 20, 30 years).

BUT you seem like you have a really healthy approach to seeing it as a transition and shifting the habit. I’d encourage you to start thinking about what your new habits will look like.

I was drinking a lot more than you and drinking every day for quite a long time. What I did was start making myself a nice AF drink at 5pm every night while I started dinner and I listened to a sobriety podcast. I did that every single day. I also started building in things to do in the time I would have been drinking, like I went to a Friday evening sound bath or I started training for a long distance hike in early evenings in the summer.

If you are a weekend binge drinker, this might look more like making tonic water with a slice your go to drink every time you go to the pub on a Saturday, or getting in a bottle of AF fizz every week for Friday at 6pm. Go to the cinema or yoga or a swim in the sea with friends in the evening instead of sitting home drinking wine on weekend evenings. You might even book in a regular class so you are busy every Saturday at 7pm. Your interest in that one small glass will shift.

I imagine TSM must have a protocol for how you eventually stop treatment and provide support. Definitely don’t rush to do it before you’re ready and those new habits are solid.

There is a very good documentary called One Little Pill, that explains the reasoning behind it. It’s quite an old one and features David Sinclair, the medication removes any positive feelings you get when you start drinking and aims to gradually reduce the amount you drink and ideally completely stop and reduce the cravings for alcohol that problem drinkers have.