Over the last year or so I've developed a serious problem with alcohol. It's not necessarily ruining my life with DUIs or drunk fights or anything, but it is lowering my quality of life substantially. I probably spend $1000+ (USD) a month on alcohol, because I'm mostly a beer drinker and I'm snobby about having my imported saisons and smoked porters and such. Speaking of being a beer drinker, it's gotten me fucking fat, I'm now 300 lbs at 6'3". My liver and kidneys are still fine somehow but I've gotten bad GERD from drinking so much and filling my belly with liquid. I finally admit something needs to change.I tried will power, I tried prayer, after neither of those things worked I'm finally hopping on naltrexone at my doctor's suggestion. I just took my first dose today, but I got the prescription last week because I had reservations.As stupid as this sounds coming from an alcoholic, I really do love drinking. I have a huge amount of stress in my life from running a business and I don't have a gf/wife or really any friends that live near me. I realize I'm just using alcohol to cope with shitty circumstances but I really do want to be able to have a drink every now and again. I don't think life would be as good without being able to have a beer at a grillout or after fixing your car, or having a glass of wine with a good steak, or enjoying a scotch on a special occasion. Is there anyone who has experience with using naltrexone for AUD? If I use this shit and go a few months or even a year sober, would I be able to go back to drinking in moderation? Will there be lasting effects that will make alcohol less enjoyable? Were you able to reapproach alcohol consumption with moderation and discipline? Or did you make a permanent lifestyle change? Did you go back to having a drinking problem when you tried to drink again, or did you find it easier to moderate your consumption?>t. uncie drunkie
>>34718411Haven't taken it but know about it. It might behaviorally condition you to enjoy alcohol less once you've used it for a long time and stop it. The whole point in the drug is to stop you enjoying alcohol when you do drink, so you always keep it on hand for when you are going to drink.
>>34718969>It might behaviorally condition you to enjoy alcohol less once you've used it for a long time and stop it. The whole point in the drug is to stop you enjoying alcohol when you do drink, so you always keep it on hand for when you are going to drink.I think it's a little more complicated like that. I think you're supposed to use it for an extended period of time and let it "build" kind of like psychiatric medication. That said after I took my first dose last night, I don't know if it was placebo or not but I definitely did not feel the urge to drink as strongly as I usually do.Again, I still want to be able to drink and enjoy alcohol again one day. I'm planning on trying to not drink at all (as much as I can) while I'm on this medication so I can kick the habit, but I don't want to be a lifelong teetotaler unless I see myself losing control again.
>>34718411One of the defining characteristics of an alcoholic is that they are incapable of ever drinking moderately again for as long as they live. The sooner you accept that reality, the better.
