People in Moderation Management share experiences of naltrexone use

Tom Anon survives the 'Treatment Industry,' and lives! - mm@maelstrom.stjohns.edu - July 3rd, 2001

I had been seeing a psychologist for clinical depression--chronic
since childhood as the result of a mentally abusive father. Things
didn't seem to be getting better (I had always been depressed so I
had no idea where I was supposed to be going through mentally). So
the psychologist recommended that we work together with a psychiatrist
he'd worked successfully with before.

We started with Paxil. That did nothing but make me yawn a lot and
feel like I was having an orgasm every time I yawned.

Next we tried Wellbutrin. But I have a naturally high level of
adrenaline and the Wellbutrin raised it even further, resulting in
frightening fits of anger. So I stopped that after only a few
days.

Third we tried Prozac. I tolerated it well but he realized I was a
very heavy drinker and that would counter the effect of any anti-
depressant. So he suggested I try Naltrexone to help cut
back on my drinking. He said it would reduce the cravings. I had
no problem starting it. I just took the full dose the first day and
continued taking it with no complications. I took it for an
extended period but it had no noticeable effect, either positive or
negative. I concluded that I drank not because of any physical
craving. Also Revia had no effect on the way alcohol felt or the
amount I consumed. So I stopped taking it.

Somewhat later in April, 1998, my wife arranged an intervention and
I agreed to voluntarily check into a 30 day in patient program (12
step natch). It disgusted me so thoroughly that I checked myself
out four days later (2 days longer than I had promised to stay).
Don't get me started on this. I will give but one example of their
idiocy and one of their venality. They confiscated the copy of
Walter Kronkite's autobiography I was reading because it was not
"AA approved" literature. The place cost more than a luxury hotel
but I had to make my bed and have it inspected by the Nazis every
morning. S&*t. My maid does that at home. F*&k them.

My drinking increased markedly because of the humiliation of this
experience. Due to the increased consumption I started
experiencing withdrawal symptoms, other than occasional dehydration
or hypoglycemia, for the first time in 25 years, during which time
the level of my drinking had been very stable and I had developed
three highly successful careers. These symptoms included
significantly decreased mental acuity the next day and occasional
tremors.

Shortly thereafter I found SMARTREC, which had a link to MM and I
have been here ever since.