Hi everyone,

I'm curious and wanted to conduct a highly unscientific straw poll here. What's your respective goal or cure in regards to alcohol? Is is moderation, control, or abstinence?

I'll go first. My goal is control over my alcohol consumption. I like getting drunk sometimes but I certainly don't want to do it every week or month. I also like the social aspects of alcohol. I quit smoking and will never light another cigarette again because there's nothing positive about smoking. I can't say the same thing about alcohol.

-Chance

Okay Chance, I'll bite 2nd.. My goal is total abstinence. Why you may ask? Because Alcohol, to me, never really tasted good. I used/use it to numb my anxiety, & fears, & whatever I found difficult in life to deal with. I don't really remember at what point it got out of hand, I just know it did. I cannot even blame alcohol. It is me abusing it, however, we all know the vicious hold it can have on us. And sooner or later we become it's slave. Most of us suffer extreme guilt, shame, self-loathing, because we "let' the booze control our lives. I personally, wouldn't care if I never saw a drop of that crap again! I do not think I would miss it. Well, maybe in some situations. But to me, it just isn't worth the pain & dispair that comes with it. Sorry, just my views.
ALWAYS, JANE

Hi Chance

Great question. Never really thought about it too much before, I just kind of always assumed my goal was abstinence. But on deeper consideration, it is in fact more like moderation or control - to be somewhat indifferent to alcohol; to take it or leave it; to drink occasionally and slowly like a normal drinker; not to feel compelled and driven to wipe myself out, but being able to 'leave the party early' and go back to normal routine without going overboard.

Mainly it is the state of my relationships, career, self-esteem and health that concern me, so another goal is to drink moderately enough to allow all those things to recover from drinking-inflicted damage. But also the fact that I spend sometimes as much as $800 per month on alcohol and cigarettes, not to mention all the time I waste from sitting around pubs twiddling my thumbs... so another goal would be for drinking not to be the main consumer of my time and money - just a very small part of the pie.

Gwyneth

Chance,

I should just sign your post

My goal is to be indifferent to alcohol. To drink if the situation calls for it and to forget about it if it doesn't. I don't want alcohol to be an active part of my life. I want to be able to have two drinks and then stop. I want it to be like ice cream. I eat it when I feel like it. But otherwise I don't think about it.

great question. oddly, i had not articulated this to myself. my first thought is that i'd like to be a light to moderate drinker, able to have 1 or 2 daily. however, as it doesn't seem advisable to be taking nal daily for life, i guess my more realistic goal would be to be an occasional drinker. i do find alcohol helps me be a little more relaxed and sociable, so i would like to be able to have one or two in social settings. i guess that means i have to get serious about losing my drinking at home alone habit, (my primary drinking situation at present!) very strange that this hadn't really hit home before. thanks for bringing it up.
path

Nutella,

haha, I'll let you sign my post if you tell me your answer to the question.

-Chance

Great thread Chance. I guess I haven't thought about my ultimate goal since I realized TSM was going to work for me. Before that I didn't even dare to dream. Moderation seems like such a luxurious goal to work towards, because I had truly given up on myself before discovering TSM. I think occasional drinker would be my ultimate goal. Before I gained so much weight and buried myself in AL I was quite the party girl. It will be interesting to see what it will be like after I get my svelte figure back and am ready to "hit the scene" again. I'm thinking in the future as I look towards my 40s, a better scene for me would be an ashram instead of a bar.

Hi Chance,

Nice thread! That was the question I asked myself when originlly contemplating Naltrexone over Baclofen. I went for Nal as I have a strong love affair with alcohol...it's taste, social side, seediness etc...i'm an addict! However, I do know now that I will lose my partner or kids, die of cancer, end up in jail etc if this continues so I've decided to try baclofen alongside naltrexone to speed things up.

Best of luck,

Galoot

Chance,

Sorry for being obtuse perhaps. What I meant is that my answer seems to be word to word the same as yours - even including the smoking part.