Sinclair Method for Drinking?
In research and medicine, we have to rule out confounding variables. When two things occur together, they are said to be either correlational or causational. Correlational means that when one event occurs, an effect occurs at the same time. For instance, if you always hiccup when you drink milk, many would say the milk causes hiccups. If you take an antidepressant and get less depressed, you can infer it is the drug. The tricky thing is that this isn't necessarily a case. In class several years ago we had the example: 100% of heroin users have drunk milk, for instance, but that doesn't mean milk causes heroin addiction. Correlation, when things happen together, does not mean that one caused the other. What we want to prove is causation - did A actually cause B, or did A and B just happen together? Causation is more valuable in research. Correlational research doesn't tell me much other than that things move together in a certain way. People make inferences from correlations all the time. They could be coincidence, or it could be another influence.
In the case of this particular drug, many things can cause one to see, and consume, substances appropriately and perfectly. Other things may be going on. You may have had better social support that week, or better self-esteem if you have lost weight. You may have activities you engaged in that off-set the cravings to drink. Also, when we think a drug will work, it often does even if it is inert. We call this the "placebo effect." Many antidepressants, for instance, don't make it to market, because the sugar pills they use in studies as placebos work better than actual drugs!
I'm not saying the drug is worthless, but I am saying it might be a lot of things, and that you may deserve more of the credit than the drug. :)
I actually work in the field, and I completely understand your concerns. I...have mixed feelings about 2nd amendment rights and mental health treatment. On one hand, I firmly believe individuals should not have them revoked for mental health treatment, which I consider to be medical treatment, and in which I also include addictions.
On the other hand, I have seen the fallout when they have not been revoked on a weekly basis, whi*****ludes murder-suicides, suicides, rape, assault. Ideally, this would be done on a case-by-case basis to ensure maximum rights were protected, and not all individuals who go inpatient are that ill. I have seen many suicides and murders caused by alcohol intoxication, though, and it is always tragic and horrifyingly preventable, at best. I think it should be treated more like DUIs are here for alcohol, where heroin and cocaine get blanket revoking (almost all handgun use with heroin and cocaine contributes to violent crime) but that is a tangent. I'm also way more concerned about prescription drug abuse and driving, particularly benzodiazapines like Xanax, than alcohol.
Typically this only happens for inpatient admission - at least here. I'd argue at that point, the clients have bigger things to worry about, as they will die long before they'd ever get to exercise their rights, but that's a huge tangent. I've also seen individuals, on many occasions, not get admitted and immediately kill themselves accidentally, due to being impaired. Unfortunately, it's not as clean cut an issue when it comes to it. I don't have an answer, though I think we should always err on the rights of the individual, and have better and more selective screening. Sadly, it will never happen where I live, anyway, since we can't even pay counselors livable wages.
I follow a ketogenic diet post-op. I also have a diagnosis of binge eating disorder. Feel free to ask me about either!
It is not that we have so little time but that we lose so much...the life we receive is not short but we make it so; we are not ill provided but use what we have wastefully. -- Seneca, On the Shortness of Life
I had this discussion with the head professor at the OU Psyc department when the NY gun law was being discussed. (The NY law said anyone in mental health had to report anyone they thought might be violent, which the state would then use as a pretext for searching the home for firearms). The problem was mental health people are no better than random chance at predicting violent behavior. The result was a drop in the utilization of mental health services by those who owned firearms.
I could make the case that diabetics are more dangerous than substance abusers in driving and firearms because of the problems associated with drops in blood sugars and irrational behavior. I only say that to make the point that whenever there is a negative consequence or stigma associated with mental health issues, all that happens is fewer people utilize the resources you and your profession bring to the table.
Have you looked at Dr. Sinclair's research? I think his went far beyond mere correlation. He first showed that rats lost their desire (these rats were heavy drinkers) for alcohol when they received the drugs and then on the human trials 80% of the subjects (all heavy drinkers who did not wish to quit drinking) stopped or significantly reduced consumption. It was one of those studies that I initially said "oh that's BS" but then I looked deeper and just could not get past the fact I think he was dead on right. (But I also said the same thing about WLS, but I'm very glad I actually looked up the Cleveland Clinic's findings).
I'm a bit of an outlier when it comes to adopting technology or techniques, but I do try to do my due diligence before trying a treatment.
on 3/27/17 1:43 pm
I have never heard of the Sinclair method. If it works for someone by all means do it with a health care professional.
For myself AA works. The 12 steps I haven't even started. The first one I do know that I am powerless over alcohol and my life is unmanageable.
At first I thought I was a functioning alcoholic. I was sorta. I made a lot of excuses and got a paycheck from our business for just working about 10 hours a week. The person I was before I stopped drinking was a woman who couldn't even look at herself in the mirror without thinking I am not going to do this again today. My life was like the movie. Ground Hogs Day. Same thing over and over. I drank not to feel. I didn't like it. I still sometimes don't like it. I just take one day at a time.
So AA does help. The spiritual thing is not something that I am totally on board with. I feel to each his own.
I don't think you are bashing AA. AA has been around for a long time and it does work for some. I know some who are in the program who are still drinking. The only requirement is to want to stop. So it is a little blurry for some.
When I went to AA I was at my rock bottom. I wanted to die. I did.
I feel free now. I have ****ty days but most are good. Life is not always easy. Sometimes it just plain sucks.
I have nothing but love and respect for those in recovery and in AA. I'm not trying to knock anyone off their journey. Whatever works, I'm happy for the person who breaks free. I have had friends who went to places like Bethesda and did their recovery work there. I have my own counselor who was invaluable.
The reason I bring this up is because there is an alternative path which doesn't receive as much attention in the US, though it was proven to be 80%+ effective vs. 17% for traditional rehab. (I'm not knocking the hard working people who work in these clinics, it is a hard work and most are highly dedicated). But there isn't any money in the Sinclair method. The drugs are no longer protected by patent, so there is no money to be made in advertising and selling them. And there isn't any money to made in on a rehab program where you have to continue to drink in order for the drug to be effective. And it is VERY counter-intuitive to drink your way to sobriety. But, results are stubborn truths.
