Originally Posted by
dgillz 
In AA there is a saying "play the tape all the way through".
No, AA does not say that. Some people who have never been through the BB or the Steps continue to spout that line which is contradictory to AA and the BB.
Instead, AA says,
Originally Posted by AA BB 1st
We are unable, at certain times, to bring into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are without defense against the first drink.
The whole foundation of AA is the inability to play the tape through and have that be an effective deterrent to picking up a drink. Tape playing might work for any number of people (or it might not judging by the what I see on this forum), but AA begins where tape playing ends.
The pertinent question, as always, is 'how's that working for you?' If playing the tape through is giving you permanent sobriety, then great, you're done. Way to go, tiger! But if it's not working, AA has an answer.