It is sometimes described as targeting naltrexone to use only when needed.
By administering naltrexone prior to consuming alcohol, the pleasurable feelings that drinking usually produces are blocked.
Because people feel less pleasure when they drink, they find it much easier to drink less.
Francesco Vaninetti Photo/moment/Getty
In some cases, they completely lose the urge to drink at all.
Naltrexoneis a synthetic drug that blocks opiate receptors in the brain.
It is used for treating opioid addiction as well as alcoholism.
Nalmefene is similar drug that is available in Europe.
The Sinclair Method is not the only medication-based approach to alcohol recovery.
Instead, it simply makes it so drinking no longer produces an endorphin rush or “buzz”.
Without those pleasant feelings, the brain eventually stops associating drinking with pleasure.
This is known as pharmacological extinction.
Inoperant conditioning, rewards increase the likelihood that a behavior will occur again.
When the brain unlearns this association, pharmacological extinction occurs.
In animals that had been trained to drink alcohol, they would press a lever repeatedly to obtain it.
Sinclair found that if the longer they were deprived of alcohol, the more they would press the lever.
He also discovered that administering naltrexone before drinking would eventually extinguish the drinking behavior.
How It Works
The Sinclair method works by reducing thereinforcementthat people get when they drink alcohol.
One of the reasons why alcohol addiction happens is that people experience a rush of endorphins when they drink.
Because drinking makes them feel good, they form an association between alcohol and pleasure.
Naltrexone is effective because it blocks the pleasurable feelings people have when consuming alcohol.
Pros
The Sinclair Method can help people reduce their drinking without quitting drinking entirely.
By helping people drink less, it reduces the harm they experience from alcohol.
Unlike some other more expensive treatment options, the Sinclair Method is cost-effective and can be done at home.
Research also suggests that it can be very effective in helping people reduce their drinking.
Cons
Extinctiontakes time, and even occasional reinforcement can serve to maintain a behavior.
Some other possible downsides of the Sinclair Method:
As Verywell Review Board MemberDr.
John Umhaunotes in an article published inAdvances in Addiction & Recovery, the Sinclair Method requires a lifetime commitment.
Naltrexone is not simple or easy “cure” for alcohol use disorders.
It needs to be used correctly and consistently in order for it to be effective.
People can also relapse after pharmacological extinction.
This can cause excessive drinking, which is why consistently using naltrexone before every drink is critical for success.
Liver toxicity is another serious risk of naltrexone.
If you experience such symptoms after taking naltrexone, you should contact your doctor immediately.
Is the Sinclair Method Right for You?
If you are interested in trying the Sinclair Method, start by talking to your doctor.
The Sinclair Method is not the onlymedication-based treatment approach.
Talk to your doctor about whether taking naltrexone every time before you drink might be an option for you.
While it requires consistent use of the medication, naltrexone may help you reduce your drinking over time.
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Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.Chapter 3Disulfiram.
In:Incorporating Alcohol Pharmacotherapies Into Medical Practice.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
2019 Mar 1;54(2):192. doi: 10.1093/alcalc/agz014.
Anton RF.Naltrexone for the management of alcohol dependence.N Engl J Med.
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Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.Naltrexone.
