Naltrexone Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder Fort Lauderdale

Naltrexone & the Sinclair Method: a modern approach to alcohol use disorder

For decades, treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) followed a single script: hit bottom, commit to total abstinence, and work a 12-step program. That path helps some people — but it asks everyone to be ready for abstinence on day one, and it overlooks a powerful, FDA-approved tool: medication. Dr. Leeds offers a modern, medical approach to alcohol use disorder built around naltrexone — including the Sinclair Method — that meets you where you are, without requiring you to quit drinking before treatment can begin.

What is naltrexone?

Naltrexone is an FDA-approved medication for alcohol use disorder. It is an opioid antagonist: it blocks the brain’s reward receptors, so alcohol no longer delivers the same pleasurable “lift.” Over time, that blunts cravings and the reinforcing cycle that drives heavy drinking. Naltrexone is not addictive, is not a sedative, and does not cause a violent reaction if you drink (the way disulfiram does). It is available as a daily tablet or as a once-monthly injection called Vivitrol.

The Sinclair Method

The Sinclair Method (TSM) is a specific way of using naltrexone, developed from the research of Dr. John David Sinclair. Instead of taking the medication every day aiming for immediate abstinence, you take a dose about an hour before you drink. With the reward blocked each time you drink, the brain gradually “unlearns” the habit — a process Sinclair called pharmacological extinction. For many people, cravings and alcohol intake decline steadily over a period of months.

Two things set this approach apart:

You do not have to be abstinent to start. You keep the medication on board while you drink — which is exactly how the extinction effect works.
It is sustainable. Dosing only on the days you drink is often easier to maintain than a daily pill or an all-or-nothing pledge.

Naltrexone’s effectiveness for alcohol use disorder is well supported by research — a large 2023 review of more than 100 trials found it reduces the return to heavy drinking — and Dr. Sinclair’s studies reported that a large majority of patients reduced their drinking to safer levels with the targeted protocol.

Is the Sinclair Method right for you?

It is a good fit for many people who want to cut down or stop drinking but are not ready for — or have not succeeded with — abstinence-only programs, and it can be combined with counseling and other support. It is not for everyone: people who are physically dependent on alcohol may first need a medically supervised detox to withdraw safely, and naltrexone is not used in people who require opioid pain medication or who have certain liver conditions. Dr. Leeds will review your history and help you decide whether naltrexone, the Sinclair Method, or another approach best fits your goals.

Other medications for alcohol use disorder

Naltrexone is one of three medications approved by the FDA for alcohol use disorder:

Naltrexone (daily tablet or monthly Vivitrol injection) — reduces cravings and the reward from drinking.
Acamprosate — helps the brain rebalance after drinking stops; best suited to people who are already abstinent.
Disulfiram (Antabuse) — causes an unpleasant reaction if you drink, which some people use as a deterrent.

The right choice — and whether to combine medication with therapy — depends on your goals, your health, and what has or has not worked before.

A modern, judgment-free approach in Fort Lauderdale

Alcohol use disorder is a medical condition, not a moral failing, and it deserves modern medical care. Dr. Leeds provides naltrexone and Sinclair Method treatment through private, concierge telemedicine — so you can begin from home, with direct, ongoing access to your physician and a plan built around your goals, whether that is cutting back or stopping altogether. Contact Dr. Leeds today to talk about whether naltrexone or the Sinclair Method is right for you.