Is the Sinclair Method right for you?

The Sinclair Method suits some patterns of drinking and not others. Answer these honestly and you'll know quickly whether it's worth your time.

1. Do you drink more than you'd like?

Specifically: are you waking up with regret, missing things you'd planned, spending money you'd rather not, or finding your drinking has crept up quietly over months or years? If yes, you're in the right place. The Sinclair Method is for people who want to change their drinking — not people who think they drink a normal amount and don't.

2. Is your drinking reward-driven?

This is the single biggest predictor of whether TSM will work. If you drink because it feels good in the moment — because it relaxes you, or makes a meal or a social occasion more enjoyable, or takes the edge off a difficult day — your drinking is reward-driven and TSM will very likely help. If you drink because you always drink, or because everyone around you is drinking, or because you haven't really thought about it, TSM may help less. Habit-driven and socially-driven drinking respond less predictably to opioid-blocking medication.

3. Are you open to a medical approach that doesn't require stopping?

The Sinclair Method is explicitly a reduction approach, not an abstinence approach. You keep drinking during the programme. If your goal is hard abstinence from day one, AA or abstinence-based rehab is probably a better fit. If your goal is to get your drinking back to a normal, controlled level — or reduce it substantially — this fits.

4. Are you willing to take a tablet one hour before every drinking occasion?

This is the whole method. The medication only works when it's in your system as you start to drink. If you're not willing or able to build this habit reliably for three to four months, the method won't deliver what the trials show. It's a low bar but it's a real bar.

5. Are you physically safe to change your drinking this way?

If you experience physical withdrawal symptoms (shaking, sweating, nausea) when you stop drinking for 24 hours, or if you've ever had an alcohol-related seizure, please do not start the Sinclair Method without first talking to a doctor about medically-supervised withdrawal. Naltrexone doesn't address physical dependence. We'll ask about this during your consultation and route you to the right service if needed.

• You drink most days at home, evening, in front of a screen or with dinner, and would like to drink less but don't want to stop completely.

• You drink heavily on social occasions and would like to pace yourself better and remember the next morning.

• You're in your 40s, 50s or 60s, have a career or family responsibilities, and the idea of rehab or AA feels disproportionate to the problem you have.

• You've tried cutting down on willpower alone and it hasn't stuck.

• You've read about the method or seen the One Little Pill documentary and something about it made sense.

• You respect AA and abstinence approaches but don't feel they're what you need.

• You're in physical alcohol dependence and need a medically supervised detox first. We can help you find the right service.

• You're taking opioid pain medication or in opioid agonist treatment. Naltrexone is contraindicated.

• You're pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning pregnancy in the next three months.

• Your liver is significantly impaired. We may still be able to help with nalmefene, but it's a conversation.

• You already know you want full abstinence and don't want to keep drinking during the programme. That's a valid choice — AA, NA and abstinence-based rehab all exist for good reason.

• You're in an acute mental health crisis. TSM is a medium-term project. If you're actively suicidal or in a mental health emergency, please get emergency support first.

We respect all of them. Abstinence-based 12-step programmes have helped millions of people and remain the right answer for many. Residential rehab is the right answer for severe dependence that needs inpatient support. The Sinclair Method is a different path for a different kind of drinking — medical, gradual, non-abstinent, and evidence-based.

You can also combine approaches. Many patients successfully use naltrexone alongside AA; there's nothing in either programme that contradicts the other. Some people use TSM as a bridge to eventual abstinence. Others stay at a reduced-drinking level indefinitely. Both outcomes are fine.

There are a handful. Some are good. Each has a different model. We built LoveMyLife's Sinclair Method offering to be the doctor-led, clinic-based, medically integrated option — which is not something anyone else in the UK offers at this price point. Our dedicated comparison page walks through the differences honestly.

See how we compare to other UK providers →

The best way to find out is to complete the online consultation form. It takes 15-20 minutes. A GMC-registered doctor reads every answer. If the Sinclair Method is the right tool, we'll issue your prescription within 24 hours. If it isn't, we'll tell you honestly and — where we can — help you access the right service.

Begin your consultation →