JoeRaisin wrote:

> Tim Bruening wrote:
> >
> > jimbo wrote:
> >
> >> On Feb 2, 7:38 pm, Tim Bruening <tsbru...@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:
> >>> What medications, if any, do you take to reduce your cravings for
> >>> alcohol?
> >> I've never taken a medication to reduce craving nor have I ever heard
> >> of one that works. Her best best would be to consult a physician.
> >> Jimbo
> >
> > How then do you resist the urge to drink?
> >
>
> I couldn't - at least not for very long. That was until I began working
> a program in AA.
>
> AA taught me to draw strength from my higher power in order to avoid
> that first drink. By staying sober for more than a few days to a few
> weeks at a time I continued working the steps and developed a new
> perspective on myself - a perspective that meant I could look at myself
> in the mirror without loathing. Once I became comfortable with who I
> was, avoiding the first drink became a lot less difficult.

What happens if the alcoholic is an atheist? How would he draw on a "Higher
Power"?

JoeRaisin wrote:

> Tim Bruening wrote:
> >
> > jimbo wrote:
> >
> >> On Feb 2, 7:38 pm, Tim Bruening <tsbru...@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:
> >>> What medications, if any, do you take to reduce your cravings for
> >>> alcohol?
> >> I've never taken a medication to reduce craving nor have I ever heard
> >> of one that works. Her best best would be to consult a physician.
> >> Jimbo
> >
> > How then do you resist the urge to drink?
> >
>
> I couldn't - at least not for very long. That was until I began working
> a program in AA.
>
> AA taught me to draw strength from my higher power in order to avoid
> that first drink. By staying sober for more than a few days to a few
> weeks at a time I continued working the steps and developed a new
> perspective on myself - a perspective that meant I could look at myself
> in the mirror without loathing. Once I became comfortable with who I
> was, avoiding the first drink became a lot less difficult.
>
> I will offer to you a perspective you may not have considered. If your
> friend's wife is an alcoholic she is not drinking for the same reasons
> as you or most other social drinkers. Most people drink because they
> like the way it makes them feel, alcoholics drink because they don't
> like the way they feel when they are not drinking.
>
> Slogans won't change that, nor will medications.
>
> If AA isn't her cup of tea, she could try Rational Recovery which
> utilizes "Addictive Voice Recognition Technique" in order to stave off
> cravings. The only caveat with RR is to try and avoid the anger that
> the program is darned near built upon. While reading the small book I
> get the impression that RR sobriety is more a case of staying sober 'at'
> AA rather than being sober to better one's life.
>
> In the end, however, it boils down to whether or not she 'wants' to quit
> drinking. If not, nothing you (or even your friend) can do to get her
> to stop.

After nearly losing her husband last week, I believe that she now wants to
quit. The problem is that she gets a strong craving for alcohol after a few
days. Often, her stepdad shows up and takes her to a bar to drink double
vodkas. I was hoping to find drugs to reduce that craving so that her will
power would be enough to resist the reduced craving.

On Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:58:41 -0800, Tim Bruening
<tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:

>
>
>JoeRaisin wrote:
>
>> Tim Bruening wrote:
>> >
>> > jimbo wrote:
>> >
>> >> On Feb 2, 7:38 pm, Tim Bruening <tsbru...@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:
>> >>> What medications, if any, do you take to reduce your cravings for
>> >>> alcohol?
>> >> I've never taken a medication to reduce craving nor have I ever heard
>> >> of one that works. Her best best would be to consult a physician.
>> >> Jimbo
>> >
>> > How then do you resist the urge to drink?
>> >
>>
>> I couldn't - at least not for very long. That was until I began working
>> a program in AA.
>>
>> AA taught me to draw strength from my higher power in order to avoid
>> that first drink. By staying sober for more than a few days to a few
>> weeks at a time I continued working the steps and developed a new
>> perspective on myself - a perspective that meant I could look at myself
>> in the mirror without loathing. Once I became comfortable with who I
>> was, avoiding the first drink became a lot less difficult.
>>
>> I will offer to you a perspective you may not have considered. If your
>> friend's wife is an alcoholic she is not drinking for the same reasons
>> as you or most other social drinkers. Most people drink because they
>> like the way it makes them feel, alcoholics drink because they don't
>> like the way they feel when they are not drinking.
>>
>> Slogans won't change that, nor will medications.
>>
>> If AA isn't her cup of tea, she could try Rational Recovery which
>> utilizes "Addictive Voice Recognition Technique" in order to stave off
>> cravings. The only caveat with RR is to try and avoid the anger that
>> the program is darned near built upon. While reading the small book I
>> get the impression that RR sobriety is more a case of staying sober 'at'
>> AA rather than being sober to better one's life.
>>
>> In the end, however, it boils down to whether or not she 'wants' to quit
>> drinking. If not, nothing you (or even your friend) can do to get her
>> to stop.
>
>After nearly losing her husband last week, I believe that she now wants to
>quit. The problem is that she gets a strong craving for alcohol after a few
>days. Often, her stepdad shows up and takes her to a bar to drink double
>vodkas. I was hoping to find drugs to reduce that craving so that her will
>power would be enough to resist the reduced craving.

Sounds like she doesn't want to lose her husband which ain't
necessarily the same as wanting to quit.

Tex wrote:

> On Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:58:41 -0800, Tim Bruening
> <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >JoeRaisin wrote:
> >
> >> Tim Bruening wrote:
> >> >
> >> > jimbo wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> On Feb 2, 7:38 pm, Tim Bruening <tsbru...@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:
> >> >>> What medications, if any, do you take to reduce your cravings for
> >> >>> alcohol?
> >> >> I've never taken a medication to reduce craving nor have I ever heard
> >> >> of one that works. Her best best would be to consult a physician.
> >> >> Jimbo
> >> >
> >> > How then do you resist the urge to drink?
> >> >
> >>
> >> I couldn't - at least not for very long. That was until I began working
> >> a program in AA.
> >>
> >> AA taught me to draw strength from my higher power in order to avoid
> >> that first drink. By staying sober for more than a few days to a few
> >> weeks at a time I continued working the steps and developed a new
> >> perspective on myself - a perspective that meant I could look at myself
> >> in the mirror without loathing. Once I became comfortable with who I
> >> was, avoiding the first drink became a lot less difficult.
> >>
> >> I will offer to you a perspective you may not have considered. If your
> >> friend's wife is an alcoholic she is not drinking for the same reasons
> >> as you or most other social drinkers. Most people drink because they
> >> like the way it makes them feel, alcoholics drink because they don't
> >> like the way they feel when they are not drinking.
> >>
> >> Slogans won't change that, nor will medications.
> >>
> >> If AA isn't her cup of tea, she could try Rational Recovery which
> >> utilizes "Addictive Voice Recognition Technique" in order to stave off
> >> cravings. The only caveat with RR is to try and avoid the anger that
> >> the program is darned near built upon. While reading the small book I
> >> get the impression that RR sobriety is more a case of staying sober 'at'
> >> AA rather than being sober to better one's life.
> >>
> >> In the end, however, it boils down to whether or not she 'wants' to quit
> >> drinking. If not, nothing you (or even your friend) can do to get her
> >> to stop.
> >
> >After nearly losing her husband last week, I believe that she now wants to
> >quit. The problem is that she gets a strong craving for alcohol after a few
> >days. Often, her stepdad shows up and takes her to a bar to drink double
> >vodkas. I was hoping to find drugs to reduce that craving so that her will
> >power would be enough to resist the reduced craving.
>
> Sounds like she doesn't want to lose her husband which ain't
> necessarily the same as wanting to quit.

I believe that the threat of losing her husband got her attention and caused her
to make up her mind to quit.

I found a list of all the drugs used to treat alcoholism at
http://www.addictionrecoveryguide.or...ism/index.html

The drugs are Topirimate, Nefazodone, Ondansetron, Naltrexone, Disulfiram
(The drug that makes you throw up if you drink!), and Campral.

Tim Bruening wrote:
>
> Tex wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:58:41 -0800, Tim Bruening
>> <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> JoeRaisin wrote:
>>>
>>>> Tim Bruening wrote:
>>>>> jimbo wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Feb 2, 7:38 pm, Tim Bruening <tsbru...@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:
>>>>>>> What medications, if any, do you take to reduce your cravings for
>>>>>>> alcohol?
>>>>>> I've never taken a medication to reduce craving nor have I ever heard
>>>>>> of one that works. Her best best would be to consult a physician.
>>>>>> Jimbo
>>>>> How then do you resist the urge to drink?
>>>>>
>>>> I couldn't - at least not for very long. That was until I began working
>>>> a program in AA.
>>>>
>>>> AA taught me to draw strength from my higher power in order to avoid
>>>> that first drink. By staying sober for more than a few days to a few
>>>> weeks at a time I continued working the steps and developed a new
>>>> perspective on myself - a perspective that meant I could look at myself
>>>> in the mirror without loathing. Once I became comfortable with who I
>>>> was, avoiding the first drink became a lot less difficult.
>>>>
>>>> I will offer to you a perspective you may not have considered. If your
>>>> friend's wife is an alcoholic she is not drinking for the same reasons
>>>> as you or most other social drinkers. Most people drink because they
>>>> like the way it makes them feel, alcoholics drink because they don't
>>>> like the way they feel when they are not drinking.
>>>>
>>>> Slogans won't change that, nor will medications.
>>>>
>>>> If AA isn't her cup of tea, she could try Rational Recovery which
>>>> utilizes "Addictive Voice Recognition Technique" in order to stave off
>>>> cravings. The only caveat with RR is to try and avoid the anger that
>>>> the program is darned near built upon. While reading the small book I
>>>> get the impression that RR sobriety is more a case of staying sober 'at'
>>>> AA rather than being sober to better one's life.
>>>>
>>>> In the end, however, it boils down to whether or not she 'wants' to quit
>>>> drinking. If not, nothing you (or even your friend) can do to get her
>>>> to stop.
>>> After nearly losing her husband last week, I believe that she now wants to
>>> quit. The problem is that she gets a strong craving for alcohol after a few
>>> days. Often, her stepdad shows up and takes her to a bar to drink double
>>> vodkas. I was hoping to find drugs to reduce that craving so that her will
>>> power would be enough to resist the reduced craving.
>> Sounds like she doesn't want to lose her husband which ain't
>> necessarily the same as wanting to quit.
>
> I believe that the threat of losing her husband got her attention and caused her
> to make up her mind to quit.
>

Then all she has to do when her step dad shows up is say no.

I can't speak to how an atheist works with the program since I am not
one, but I can tell you that I know of many atheists who have stayed
sober using AA.

If she can avoid drinking for one day all she has to do is just string
together a whole bunch of those days.

There are several chemicals that are used to dissuade someone from
drinking and some of them even work to a certain extent.

But there is no magic pill. In the end it is up to her. If she wants
to quit the program she is involved in can help. If she doesn't want to
quit no amount of meetings will do it. If she is just trying to get
your friend off her back she will just try to get sneakier.

JoeRaisin wrote:

> Tim Bruening wrote:
> >
> > Tex wrote:
> >
> >> On Mon, 04 Feb 2008 00:58:41 -0800, Tim Bruening
> >> <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:
> >>
> >>>
> >>> JoeRaisin wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Tim Bruening wrote:
> >>>>> jimbo wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> On Feb 2, 7:38 pm, Tim Bruening <tsbru...@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:
> >>>>>>> What medications, if any, do you take to reduce your cravings for
> >>>>>>> alcohol?
> >>>>>> I've never taken a medication to reduce craving nor have I ever heard
> >>>>>> of one that works. Her best best would be to consult a physician.
> >>>>>> Jimbo
> >>>>> How then do you resist the urge to drink?
> >>>>>
> >>>> I couldn't - at least not for very long. That was until I began working
> >>>> a program in AA.
> >>>>
> >>>> AA taught me to draw strength from my higher power in order to avoid
> >>>> that first drink. By staying sober for more than a few days to a few
> >>>> weeks at a time I continued working the steps and developed a new
> >>>> perspective on myself - a perspective that meant I could look at myself
> >>>> in the mirror without loathing. Once I became comfortable with who I
> >>>> was, avoiding the first drink became a lot less difficult.
> >>>>
> >>>> I will offer to you a perspective you may not have considered. If your
> >>>> friend's wife is an alcoholic she is not drinking for the same reasons
> >>>> as you or most other social drinkers. Most people drink because they
> >>>> like the way it makes them feel, alcoholics drink because they don't
> >>>> like the way they feel when they are not drinking.
> >>>>
> >>>> Slogans won't change that, nor will medications.
> >>>>
> >>>> If AA isn't her cup of tea, she could try Rational Recovery which
> >>>> utilizes "Addictive Voice Recognition Technique" in order to stave off
> >>>> cravings. The only caveat with RR is to try and avoid the anger that
> >>>> the program is darned near built upon. While reading the small book I
> >>>> get the impression that RR sobriety is more a case of staying sober 'at'
> >>>> AA rather than being sober to better one's life.
> >>>>
> >>>> In the end, however, it boils down to whether or not she 'wants' to quit
> >>>> drinking. If not, nothing you (or even your friend) can do to get her
> >>>> to stop.
> >>> After nearly losing her husband last week, I believe that she now wants to
> >>> quit. The problem is that she gets a strong craving for alcohol after a few
> >>> days. Often, her stepdad shows up and takes her to a bar to drink double
> >>> vodkas. I was hoping to find drugs to reduce that craving so that her will
> >>> power would be enough to resist the reduced craving.
> >> Sounds like she doesn't want to lose her husband which ain't
> >> necessarily the same as wanting to quit.
> >
> > I believe that the threat of losing her husband got her attention and caused her
> > to make up her mind to quit.
> >
>
> Then all she has to do when her step dad shows up is say no.
>
> I can't speak to how an atheist works with the program since I am not
> one, but I can tell you that I know of many atheists who have stayed
> sober using AA.
>
> If she can avoid drinking for one day all she has to do is just string
> together a whole bunch of those days.

I've suggested to her that she say every day "I will not drink TODAY!".

Tim Bruening <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:

>
> What happens if the alcoholic is an atheist? How would he draw on a
> "Higher Power"?

Tim, I'm an atheist and I've been sober in AA for nearly 29 years. Your
higher power can be anything you select, and it can change over time. It is
essentially something outside of yourself. Many people, including me, call
AA itself their higher power, but that's up to the individual.

I'm glad this woman is going to AA. She should keep going, no matter what.
Some people 'get it' right away; others take time. I went for two years
before getting sober, but I'm more stubborn than most (grin).

Dan

Tim Bruening <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:
>
> After nearly losing her husband last week, I believe that she now wants
> to quit. The problem is that she gets a strong craving for alcohol after
> a few days. Often, her stepdad shows up and takes her to a bar to drink
> double vodkas. I was hoping to find drugs to reduce that craving so that
> her will power would be enough to resist the reduced craving.

She will have to stay away from the stepdad for awhile (he sounds like a
real winner). As far as I know there are no drugs to help. More meetings,
have her get a sponsor (a woman, not a man), and not go anywhere alcohol is
sold or served.

Tim Bruening <tsbrueni@pop.dcn.davis.ca.us> wrote:
>
> I believe that the threat of losing her husband got her attention and
> caused her to make up her mind to quit.

That could have been what we call 'hitting bottom' - something happens that
breaks through the denial and causes the alcoholic to see what he or she
has become. This is what you hope for; it's the beginning of progress.

Tell her not to give up, no matter what. People who have a drinking problem
are ALWAYS welcome at AA meetings, no matter what their situation or
feelings.