Jesse Carrajat, a 41-year-old former vice president at a major U.S. health insurance company, has detailed his struggle with a secret alcohol addiction that began during the COVID-19 pandemic and his subsequent recovery with the aid of naltrexone.
Carrajat described his life as outwardly successful, with a wife, three children, a six-figure salary, and a custom-built home. However, the shift to working from home in 2020 blurred the lines between his professional and personal life, leading him to seek solace in alcohol. Initially, he would drink IPAs in his garage to de-stress after work, but this habit escalated into a daily ritual.
"Alcohol became a daily ritual for me," Carrajat told the Daily Mail. "Sometimes on a Wednesday, I would buy a four-pack of IPAs, thinking I had enough to last four days, and drink them all." He admitted to feeling weak and ashamed, as he prided himself on discipline and being present for his family.
He began to hide his drinking, using cash for purchases and concealing bottles of whiskey. At his peak, Carrajat estimated he was consuming 11 to 12 alcoholic drinks on Fridays and Saturdays, in addition to several drinks on weeknights. This pattern of drinking, medically known as alcohol use disorder (AUD), is characterized by a loss of control over alcohol consumption despite negative consequences.
The turning point came in 2023 when Carrajat decided he was "sick and tired of always being sick and tired." After failed attempts to quit on his own, including using a tracking app, he discovered naltrexone, a medication also used for opioid addiction, which is FDA-approved for treating AUD.
Naltrexone works by blocking opioid receptors in the brain's reward system, which can reduce the pleasure derived from drinking and dampen cravings. It is available as a daily oral tablet or a monthly injection. Carrajat, who called it the "$3 'Ozempic for alcohol' pill" due to its effectiveness in reducing cravings for some patients, began taking a daily oral dose.
"I took it that first time just before dinner," he recounted. "I remember sitting at the table and looking at the wine, and I just didn't care about it." He reported that his desire to drink virtually disappeared after taking the medication daily for three months. While he experienced some initial side effects like anxiety and low energy, these subsided quickly.
After completing the three-month course, Carrajat found he could have an occasional drink without falling back into old patterns. He now only takes naltrexone before social occasions where he anticipates drinking. The transformation also led him to leave his corporate job and start a podcast focused on health and self-improvement. He has also lost 25 pounds and feels he is in the best shape of his life, stating he is now able to be present for his family again.