Every year or so a new magic bullet is discovered. One would think that with all the wonder cures that have shown up that guarantee a cure for alcoholism that it would be hard to find a wet drunk anywhere. Here, just eat this pill, or change to this diet, or use this or that mental trick to learn to drink like a normal person. One would thing that this problem of alcoholism would be a disease of the past. Remember back in the olden days when men and women actually died of alcoholism?

Now naltrexone has shown up as the newest entry in a long list of magic bullets. If I understand how naltrexone works, it kills the buzz. That may seem like a solution in the short term, but just like any other drug, it’s effects wear off. What happens when the alcoholic no longer has that drug in his system? That drug, antibuse, and all other systems of killing the enjoyment of intoxication do not address the underlying desire to get loaded. The obsession to drink that a true alcoholic suffers from. They haven’t fixed anything. They haven’t changed anything. The best they can do is put a bandage on a hemorrhaging wound.

What a hopeless alcoholic needs is to have that obsession removed. Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic, but if I don’t take that first drink, I can’t get drunk. And the real question is how do I not take that first drink? That’s the trick.

Don’t kid yourselves, this getting and staying sober doesn’t come to us without some effort on our parts. There is no painless, effortless, pill in a bottle that will make the change in an alcoholics life sufficient to keep him from picking up that first drink. And in picking up that first drink, starting that tragic chain of events all over again.

On the road to the good stuff,
richard s.

Alcohol is a leading cause of the traffic accidents in the united states because it slows reaction times and impairs your judgment.

The liver detoxifies (or metabolizes) alcohol. Continued, excessive use of alcohol can damage the liver is various ways including the development of a fatty liver.

Alcohol is a risk factor for development of cancer of the esophagus, throat, larynx, and the mouth.

Alcohol can impair sexual function, even though it may increase your interest in sexual activity.

Alcohol intake during pregnancy has been identified as the cause of fetal alcohol syndrome.

Alchohol is a poison
dont take taht 1st one works for me

I have not have it for many years.

knowing and even understanding any of that will not make a real alcoholic stop drinking. Many alcoholics do not stop even after experiencing some of these dire consequences.

It would have been so nice to have a pill, a shot or some psychobabble that could have cured me from blackout drinking and drug addiction 35 or 40 years ago. It took me until 1985 to discover that the only thing that would help was another drunk or dope head who also wanted to stay sober. I have yet to find any better solution for all of the thousands of alkies and addicts I have met the last 20 years.

Alcohol simple lands a person in a no man's land. It destroys both the body as well as the mind. To quit alcohol, there's a lot of drugs, therapies are there but a very strong determination is a must for anyone thinking of giving up on this slow poison.

Grump, welcome.

You wrote “many alcoholics do not stop even after experiencing some of these dire consequences.” I couldn’t agree more. In fact I might take it a step further, and change “many” to most.

I read well intentioned posts from thoughtful people like rita about applying drug therapies and determination (self will?) to this disease. It has been my experience that unless a person undergo a complete physic change, he or she will drink again. I cannot “will“ myself into not drinking on anything like a permanent basics.

Any fool can not drink for a day or two, but for an alcoholic to go day in and day out for years without drinking, that is an impossibility. But there are men and women, hopeless drunks, who have gone many years without drinking, and done so happily.

Now how did they do that?

That is a much more important inquiry than the fallacious question, is there a pill or shot out there somewhere that will somehow magically fix me without any real effort on my own part.

On the road to the good stuff,
richard

thanks, richard.




well, i'm not sure of the actual statistics, but think you are correct.




yes, i've heard/read it before. It's my opinion that these people are either uneducated about the disease, or too well educated in chemistry (or some such). Very little real experience or true life research going on.



i could always go at least a few days as long as there was some reward in it for me -- like she wouldn't leave, I could keep my job, I wouldn't get evicted, the judge would let me off easy -- and then I could celebrate my great accomplishment. Thankfully -- and happily -- it has been more than 20 years since I have had to think like that.



too bad that question isn't asked often enough. Too bad sometimes the people who need to know aren't the ones asking. Too bad the least expensive, the most efficient and simplest method is not accepted because it is not as easy as popping a pill or taking a shot (don't confuse simple with easy - they're different).

Best r'gards. Found the good stuff. Just tryin' ta keep it as long as I can.

Ps:can someone tell me why this forum doesn't capitalize the words I do (at least in the preview) and why the back button doesn't take me to where I was on the page? Is this just a flashback?

You aren’t the first person to complain about the refusal of this forum to retain capitals. I guess I have just gotten used to it. This is the only forum I haunt that does that. Your guess is as good as mine as to why. Maybe an administrator could explain it’s benefit to us. As for the back button, it seems to work ok for me.

At any rate, its good to know ya

on the road to the good stuff,
richard

How nice it is to see people talking of recovery in terms of surrender. I could not put even a few days together sober until I surrendered. No "miracal pill" could give me the gift that I have today. The gift of desperation for a new life. I will for sure be around this site now that i've found it. Livin' on the pink cloud, molly

Welcome molly.

Always good to here from someone within whom the problem has been solved.

The gift of desperation, indeed god has a strange sense of humor. Wrapping up the finest gift can imagine in that looked like pure misery. Who knew?


Post often, and let us know what’s going on with yourself.

best of luck, keep doing what you are doing, and you will keep getting what you are getting.


On the road to the good stuff,
richard

I always feel welcome when I find a site such as this one. Thank you. It's nice to hear people who have gained such a wonderful lifestyle change. I thought I would die drunk....I really belived that. I didn't understand the point of life if this was it. Today I am truley greatful for everyday that god comes by to wake me up. I will be one year sober next month...I am the girl that couldn't put 2 days together. That is amazing to me. And this last year has been a gift to not only me, but everyone around me who for years watched my struggle. I live a healthy life today, and for that I am forever greatful. Nice to meet you.

Livin' on the pink cloud, molly

Read your post and I just wanted to say "good for you!" you're doing great! Each day you'll see you'll feel better and better. Your mind clears, your moods brighten, and so many more benefits. I'm not saying it's all going to be perfect but you're likely to feel so good that you'll not want to screw up your moods by picking up a drink.
I'm not here to give you advice, just a couple of friendly words and best wishes.
God bless!
Suzi