After the First Drink

Hi. I’m starting this journal because I’ve finally figured out the code to my own destruction, and I’m about to try to rewrite it. I don’t fit the classic stereotype of an alcoholic. I don’t drink every day. I don’t hide bottles in the toilet tank. But I have analyzed my patterns, and I’ve realized that I have a very specific, likely genetic, neurobiological glitch. I have decided to stop relying on willpower. Instead, I have booked an appointment with a doctor to request a specific prescription: Nalmefene (brand name Selincro). Here is the analysis of why I believe this is the only logical solution for my specific brain chemistry. A Broken Switch & The Glutamate Storm To understand why I need this specific medication, you have to understand how my brain malfunctions. It comes down to two critical failures: 1. The “All-or-Nothing”  Alcohol Priming Effect .   For many people, a drink is just a drink. For me, it isn’t. The first drink reliably triggers a strong alcohol prim...