A 2 minute assessment to get a personalized mental health or alcohol recovery plan.
Discover how the two methods compare to figure out which one could work best to help you get control of your drinking based on your goals and preferences.
What You’ll Learn:
• The purpose of alcohol use programs.
• What makes the two methods similar.
• What makes the two methods different.
• Biggest considerations for choosing a method.
• How to get a naltrexone prescription online to support either method.
Trying to significantly reduce or quit drinking alcohol is no easy task for many people. It’s both a psychological and physical issue that gets more difficult to deal with the more you drink.
Alcohol use programs are designed to provide structure around drinking, or more accurately, not drinking. They use evidence-based tools to help someone reframe their mindset around alcohol and break the physical dependency of alcohol use.
Today, with the stigma of alcohol use treatment waning, there’s more support and tools than ever before. There are a number of alcohol use programs in existence, but two of the most well-known and established are the 12 Step Program and the Sinclair Method. Both could be effective, but you may find that one approach is better suited for your goals and needs.
What Makes the 12 Step Program and the Sinclair Method Similar
Let’s begin the comparison by first highlighting some key similarities between the 12 Step Program and the Sinclair Method.
The Primary Goal is Reducing Harm From Alcohol
They may differ in their approaches, but both methods have the primary goal of reducing harm from alcohol. A lot of attention is put on identifying how alcohol has harmed you and the people you love and how to make changes to reduce that harm.
Both Are Shaped Around Ending Denial
One of the core reasons both of these methods can be highly successful is that they focus on ending denial. Denial that a drinking problem exists perpetuates the problem. The 12 Step Program fully supports people saying “I am an alcoholic”. For the Sinclair Method it’s about admitting I need help to control my drinking.
Both methods hinge on the person accepting their problem, not denying it.
Provide a Community
Having a support system is huge for anyone that is trying to get their drinking under control. While the 12 Step Program is very much community-based, when you use either of these methods you gain a sense of being part of a group of like-minded people who truly understand where you’re at and support your goals.
Accept That Relapse is a Part of the Process For Many People
Even when abstinence is the end goal, both methods acknowledge that relapse is very common. Instead of being a sign that the process isn’t working, it’s an understandable temporary setback.
What Makes the 12 Step Program Different From the Sinclair Method
While there are many similarities between the 12 Step Program and the Sinclair Method, there are a number of important differences to take into consideration.
The 12 Step Program is More Spiritual, The Sinclair Method is More Behavioral
The 12 Step Program is a spiritual-based approach. Most of the 12 steps involve belief in a higher power that provides the support that’s needed to break the alcohol addiction cycle and the need for alcohol.
The Sinclair Method leans more on behavioral physiology to change behaviors around drinking and understanding the physical dependence of alcohol use in order to reduce it. It’s less about morality concerns and more about physicality.
Medication-Assisted Therapy is at the Heart of the Sinclair Method
One of the most significant differences between the two methods is that the Sinclair Method puts medication-assisted therapy at the center. This makes sense when you consider the approach first and foremost considers the physical nature of alcohol dependence and addiction.
With the Sinclair Method a person uses naltrexone to curb alcohol cravings by altering the brain’s reward system so that there isn’t a dopamine release while drinking. This causes what’s known as pharmacological extinction. Through the use of the naltrexone medication over time your brain stops associating alcohol use with pleasure. Once it’s no longer seen as rewarding the craving for alcohol is curbed.
Peer Support and Going Through Defined Steps is the Basis For the 12 Step Program
The 12 Step Program is what’s known as a mutual aid approach. It’s based on peer support to help a person cope with overcoming alcohol use disorder by going through a series of steps. Each step is about making a certain acknowledgement and/or taking a specific action. In doing so, with each step the person heals their wounds associated with drinking and moves closer to committing to not using alcohol.
The 12 Step Program is About Abstaining From Alcohol Completely
Unlike the Sinclair Method, which aims to help a person have a healthy relationship with alcohol even if it’s still consumed, the 12 Step Program makes complete abstinence the end goal.
Biggest Considerations For Choosing a Method
Answering the questions below can help you decide which of these two methods will most likely be the best fit for your situation and goals.
Do you want to reduce your drinking or stop entirely?
If you simply want to drink less and correct unhealthy habits like binge drinking then the Sinclair Method will probably work best. If the goal is to quit drinking completely either method could work.
Is your biggest concern cravings for alcohol?
If you feel like your cravings for alcohol that lead to drinking more than you’d like is the primary concern, then the Sinclair Method could be the best option. On the other hand, if you feel like your inability to control alcohol use and the harm it creates is the biggest concern, then the 12 Step Program could be better.
Do you prefer peer support and accountability?
The 12 Step Program is built on peer support that helps a person take accountability for their actions and behaviors. While the Sinclair Method does have a community aspect, it can be done on your own often with the help of a clinician and doesn’t require group support and meetings.
Are you able to be consistent with taking medications? Or with attending meetings?
Both methods require consistency, it’s just in different ways. With the Sinclair Method you have to be very consistent about taking naltrexone daily or at the very least an hour or more any time you drink alcohol. This is required for pharmacological extinction that curbs cravings and ends dependency. The 12 Step Program requires regularly attending meetings either in-person or online.
Keep in mind that you may find that a combination of the two methods is what works best for you. Many people choose to use peer support and group therapy in addition to utilizing medication-assisted treatment.
How to Get a Naltrexone Prescription Online to Support Either Method
If you want to try the Sinclair Method, then you’ll need to get a naltrexone prescription. However, even if you decide the 12 Step Program is the best option, naltrexone can be beneficial.
Getting a naltrexone prescription doesn’t have to be complicated. Choose Your Horizon is a telehealth platform that was created specifically to help people obtain medications that can help them overcome depression, anxiety, PTSD and alcohol use disorder. We understand that making the process as simple and stress-free as possible helps people seek out treatment, start treatment and stick with it.
Obtaining naltrexone requires a prescription from a qualified clinician, not because it’s unsafe, but because it does actually lead to physical changes. Any medication that is proven to cause physical altercations, even positive ones, are going to be a controlled substance that requires a prescription.
The first step to getting started with naltrexone is an evaluation with a qualified clinician. At Choose Your Horizon you can begin that process by taking the Alcohol Use Assessment. It’s a short series of questions that provide insight into drinking habits and behaviors that gauge if drinking is problematic.
From there you can schedule a time to speak with a clinician who will review the results of the assessment, your medical history and your goals to determine if naltrexone is appropriate for your situation.
