Originally Posted by
zenchaser 
AVRT is learning to recognize the self talk that happens surrounding one's addiction. I was just reading The Small Book by Jack Trimpey who wrote Rational Recovery - The New Cure (highly recommended if you are interested in AVRT) and he talked about doing something similar to a step 4, but instead of a moral inventory, one should do a self talk inventory. What are the thoughts that go through my mind before I pick up a drink or go buy some? What do I believe about why I am addicted? What do I tell myself about why I haven't quit even though I know I need to?
The Small Book may have its merits, but it should be noted that the author himself now considers it deprecated and obsolete.
The New Cure is not an update of TSB, but a replacement.
Although it sets forth a very early and rudimentary version of AVRT, it is grounded mostly on the Rational Emotive Therapy (RET) developed by Albert Ellis. In this context, addiction is viewed as an 'irrational belief', hence the self-talk inventory.
RET was not originally developed for addictions, as AVRT was, but was adapted to the task after the fact. AVRT actually contradicts most of the axioms of RET, and this is in large measure why SMART Recovery and Rational Recovery went their separate ways.
Notably, AVRT views the Beast as a rational entity, and therefore, its Addictive Voice is not an irrational belief. The Beast is rational because it is simply trying to survive, and it would be very irrational indeed for any living entity to
not try to survive. The AV is a rational expression of a valid (real!) survival drive.
As such, the Addictive Voice is indisputable.