I think the most important aspect of GT's above linked post, is the idea of a pledge, a pledge one makes to one's self , the veracity of which is self evident.
AVRT and its importance is to show that anything outside of the pledge ( and its 'internal' veracity) as it relates to abstinence is for lack of a better term , bunk. Anything relating to abstinence outside of "I will never drink again, and I will never change my mind" is AV (bunk).
A near century of cultural/institutionalized AV writ large has made it exceedingly difficult to be part of our culture and not be influenced by the collective AV , whether or not one is/was ever addicted.
Recovery is the practice of keeping 'yourself' from drinking, being recovered means you don't drink, ever. Yeah?