Originally Posted by
AlericB 
And this actually removes the desire to drink. I find this statement from Chapter 1 of the Freedom Model book truly remarkable and the more I think about it the truer it seems:
Changing your wants and desires is an autonomous activity, meaning you are the only one who can do it in the confines of your own mind by thinking things through and coming to see that you could be happier if you used less. No one else can do this for you because no one else can think for you. To change your desire for substance use, you must weigh the benefits of heavy use against the benefits of moderate use or abstinence. Whichever option you come to see as most beneficial or preferable is the option you’ll truly want, become invested in, and carry out.
Well, that's when we get back into AVRT territory. Can the desire to drink be removed? What if it comes back? Even at a year I still getting occasional flashes of desire for a drink/s. I might have them forever, but with what I've learned from AVRT, I know that I need never fear that desire, that it's a sign of health and vitality. Just my brain, doing what it does. I think that is a major myth that addicted people need to challenge, the myth that quitting means they will have to fear cravings for life or that residual cravings/desire mean they are doing something wrong. It's simply not true.