Originally Posted by ScotfromWI
Recovery/sobriety is all about learning new coping skills.
Maybe for you, but for me...quitting drinking is about nothing more than
quitting drinking. Learning new coping skills is something I can do if I want to iron out other things in my life, but if I don't iron them out in a timely fashion...or ever, it doesn't mean I will drink. I don't couple those things...on purpose.
Brenda, I drank again after 10 years of abstinence. The reason? A failure to fully identify and separate from my Addictive Voice. Period. I drank for 7 years after that, until I was admitted into the psych ward. I have now passed the 10 year mark of abstinence again and what is different this time is that I reject all the recoveryisms and all the round and round about "you're not doing enough" and the fear of my addiction lying in wait and all the going in circles trying to
figure everything out, none of that addressed actually quitting drinking. I wanted to philosophize about everything else
but that...why do you think that is? lol because it kept me from doing the one single thing that would end my addiction once and for all... permanent abstinence.
I reject fear and I am 100% confident in my ability to remain permanently abstinent. That's what made a difference for me. I'm not 100% confident in my ability to always handle everything else in my life effectively at all times, because I don't have control over other people or things that happen, but I do have control over whether I drink or not. That's all I need to remain abstinent. The rest will shake out.
Have you read about AVRT yet?