On the eve of my one year sobriety anniversary, I'm reviewing the threads that were pivotal to my decision to make a Big Plan, to never drink again and to practise AVRT.
My AV was screaming in the run-up, as I voraciously read the six-part main AVRT, plus every AVRT related thread here in Secular Connections.
As I learnt, a recurrent AV theme developed and grew in my mind, on a loop, summarised by: "sounds great, subsequently backed by modern day neuro-science, but where is the evidence on SR; where are all the folks who practice it, celebrating yearly milestones."
I learnt that a foundation stone of AVRT is not counting days or celebrating milestones, that would provide the alcohol addicted part of my brain with too much leverage and ammunition. So when I discovered this thread started by Tammy, the AVs attempt to dissuade me from making a Big Plan, failed.
And of course, my great mentor and cheerleader in those early days, Freshstart57 replied here too, back in 2012: the very same fabulous man who posted the AVRT thread, which I read repeatedly, which is stickied at the top of the Secular forum. I wanted what he had and due to SR, I found it.
A shift occurred in my psyche, such that, I know within my 'soul' or 'authentic self' or 'higher brain', that I will never drink again. AVRT isn't for the faint hearted, it's premised upon a pledge that the 'alcoholic' will never drink again and never change their mind.
But that same pledge, is its rock-solid strength, because any 'thoughts, feelings or emotions, cravings, urges or suchlike' are highlighted against the backdrop of my authentic-self, now a non-drinker and no longer an alcoholic. It is almost miraculous, the sorry two decades of daily drinking, the last five of which were wretched, first drinks in the morning: are consigned to my history. At a year on, neuro-plasticity has worked its magic (although in reality,miss just the reversal of the addiction process) and I hear very little AV, almost none-existent, since the first 90 days, the traditional habit imprint/deprint length.
I wanted to bump this, in case any newcomers or lurkers are dissuaded from AVRT by their AV using the same date counting tactics and lack of footfall here I. secular, as mine attempted.