The answer is yes — and that is central to how the Sinclair Method works. Here is what you need to know.
Educational Information Only
This site is for education only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always speak with a qualified, licensed clinician before making any decisions about medication or treatment. Naltrexone is a prescription medication and is not appropriate for everyone.
Yes. Drinking while taking naltrexone is not dangerous in the way that, for example, drinking while taking Antabuse (disulfiram) is dangerous. Naltrexone does not cause a physical reaction to alcohol. You can drink while taking naltrexone.
In fact, in the Sinclair Method, drinking while naltrexone is active is the entire point. The medication is taken before drinking specifically so that the extinction process can occur during the drinking experience.
Many people are familiar with Antabuse (disulfiram), which causes a severe physical reaction when combined with alcohol. Naltrexone is completely different. It does not cause nausea, vomiting, or other physical reactions when combined with alcohol.
There is also a common misconception that naltrexone is only used to support abstinence. While it can be used that way, the Sinclair Method uses it specifically in combination with drinking — which is the mechanism of pharmacological extinction.
When you drink while naltrexone is active, the medication blocks the opioid receptors that mediate alcohol's rewarding effects. The alcohol is consumed, but the brain does not receive the expected reward signal. Many people report that drinking feels less enjoyable, less compelling, or simply different when naltrexone is active.
Over time, this repeated experience of drinking without the expected reward leads to pharmacological extinction — a gradual reduction in alcohol craving and consumption.
Talk to a Licensed Clinician
The information on this site is educational. Before starting naltrexone or any medication, speak with a licensed clinician who can evaluate your full medical history and individual circumstances.