Alcohol/Opiates/Naltroxelone questions...

[dharma bum]

So....I kicked a pretty hefty dope habit two months ago cold turkey solo (pretty proud about it) and recently got into treatment, more to provide my parents (my new roomies) with some peace of mind than out of a real desire to. They put me on Vivitrol and I've been doing therapy. All in all I'm doing quite well and am happier than I've been in ages, though I wouldn't attribute that to my subtle-as-a-brick self consciously no-nonsense straight talking therapist lady who has zero personal experience with addiction. My last session I told her that I've been having a beer or two from time to time and she flipped her shit, making a thinly veiled threat at one point to inform my PO, which needless to say I did not a appreciate.

My question is: is drinking moderately and very occasionally really such a big deal when you're recovering from opiates when you've never had problems with alcohol before? Also, since Naltroxelone is an opoid antogonist shouldn't that block whatever action on the part of the alcohol that increases your chances of relapse?

 

[Legerity]

Good job on getting off the dope man.

It depends on your alcohol consumption. If you use it to replace heroin and get smashed every night, then your level of dependency is the same as when you were using dope.

There are some people that can drink socially with no problem. If you never had a problem with it in the past, then that is one good sign. But that doesn't mean it's impossible for it to become problematic.

I always hated alcohol but after "giving up" my sobriety I loved to drink and would look for opportunities to do so. Now I don't care much for it but when first exposed to it again I would still get urges to drink, especially to feel comfortable socially.

I don't know how the laws work, but if there is a possibility of problems with your PO then that is also something to consider.

Personally, I don't see any problem with social drinking here and there regardless if somebody has a history of substance abuse. The issue is whether or not the person is willing or able to maintain a moderate level of consumption.

 

[brimz]

Hi , well done on your acheivement,
I had 2 Naltroxene implants and 8 months on the tablets back in 2001.
I was still drinking n smoking dope and it wasn't a problem. If you haven't got alcholic tendancies i don't see any problems 4 you wioth social drinking.

Unfortunatley i relapsed ,but i belive the catalyst 4 it was the death of a close family member.

If yor gonna have a drink whilst on your naltroxene , jus keep checkin yourself 2 makesure things don't get outta hand .
All the best.

 

[dharma bum]

Thanks guys. Those were my feelings on the subject as well. Drinking has never been a problem, and when I do drink it's two or three max. It's a social thing, and I genuinely enjoy the taste of a good ale. When trying to explain that to my therapist she retorted with some characteristically fuzzy addictionologist logic - "If you're not addicted to alcohol you should have no problem giving it up then." I suppose that's true - but based on that logic concievably a very wide range of activities could be considered addictions, and if our definition of addiction is going to be that vague...it kinda loses all meaning (especially for someone who has recently emerged from a REAL addiction like heroin). It seems these people are stuck in a memetic game and begin looking at everything through the lens of addiction to the point of absurdity.