Originally Posted by GerandTwine

This post presents a good opportunity to discuss AVRT.



Addictive Voice Recognition Technique DOES recognize the "difference between YOU the person and that other person you become as an addict." (See the RR definition of "addiction" below.) Please be aware that this "other person" has nothing to do with the under-the-influence person. It only has to do with the ambivalence the person has about the idea of drinking some more when sober. For instance, while I did have organic difficulties like hangovers, etc., the only "other" going on with my character and personality was this ambivalence about drinking some more. When not drinking, I was still who I was. This condition of ambivalence in "addiction" is what actually initiates the motivation to take advantage of AVRT. So, when I started using AVRT, splitting off the "AV" or "The Beast" so to speak, it had no greater impact on MY personal integrity and who I am than the impact learning to drive in England on the other side of the road would have on MY personal integrity and who I am. AVRT is a simple Technique of Recognition of an extremely specific unwanted tendency.

So, the difference between Unaddicted ME and Addicted ME is totally independent of, yet an important motivator towards, my using AVRT to intentionally create the difference between Recovered ME and my Beast by using AVRT with the Big Plan. The difference between Recovered Me and my Beast is like the difference between Me the human being and a rat trying to break through the top of its cage that is being slowly immersed in water (a futile single minded grasping for air (booze))



That "significant period of time" can be any time when alcohol free. In AVRT "a lot of 'splaining'" can be packaged very compactly into pledging the Big Plan "to significant others, employers, etc." In AVRT, that is considered the best approach to regaining trust. It might be interesting to see a study about the differences in reports of personal morality for a cohort of addicts, first reporting between bouts of drinking and then reporting after a "significant period of time" in recoveryism for some, and "a significant period of time" for others who used AVRT. Those changes, whatever they are, in people's morality consistent with science would be interesting.



Whatever that "change" may be, I believe, when there is no alcohol in an addicted person's bloodstream, he/she has a perfectly competent will in regards to making plans for the future use of alcohol. There seem to me to be two options. Either "Not right now, but who knows about later, I'll do everything to try to stay out of trouble or in recovery"; or, "NO, NEVER! It would be wrong for me to ever drink again. I will never drink again."



It was not until I made my Big Plan - I will never drink again - before I was certain that "all I can do is better" regarding my addiction. Before that I had no plan regarding the future use of alcohol, and was quite aware that I could STILL do WORSE instead of BETTER. But, like you, NOW I know "all I can do is better" solely because I have a Big Plan. So, however you did it, I congratulate you, as well.



I suppose I could have gotten a grip on quitting sooner "if I had been struck" with chemical dependency, but I recall years of making many risky yet quite hedonistic decisions about when and where to drink some more as the problems caused by drinking slowly ratcheted up and up.



Neither did I understand the Structural Model of Addiction, and how persistently "healthy" my Addictive Voice was in getting its booze. Yes, IT is completely focused on ITs own survival conning ME with getting more deep pleasure. Alas (says IT), or thank heavens(says ME), alcohol is unneeded for MY survival. I think when an addicted person learns what AVRT truly is, it becomes even more difficult to choose to remain addicted.



I have yet to find someone who can come up with an occasion when he/she drank with the intent of NOT experiencing the effect of alcohol crossing over the blood/brain barrier in his/her head? When that crossing takes place, organically, it's pretty much the same in everybody. AHHHhhhh, yesSSS! (ten minutes later) mmMMMMMMmmmm! HHHHhhhhhhaaaaaaexhalation with that wonderful organic solvent familiar stinging feeling going down and breathing out. That's Deep Pleasure! "Hey Bill? Pour one for everyone, on me! Game of pool?" or "I love these Foster Lager giant cans. Ahhh, those d**n Packers better win today!" or "Wow, it was a rough day. Honey, pour the martinis. (half hour later) Ahhhh Make another batch Honey" or ad infinitum...



Bending my morals to keep experiencing that Deep Pleasure was as "defective" as I got. I never accepted Recoveryism, the disease model, or that I became anything other than ambivalent about my drinking as "that other person". I will acknowledge that the ambivalence I experienced was very frustrating and exposed to myself (and some others who knew the truth) the extent I would go with full blown hedonism.

But once I switched 180 degrees from allegiance to the habit to I'm going to kill that habit, I knew I was back to behaving like myself - all the time.

This also meant (and is unrelated to the alcohol free "other self" I've been discussing) I was no longer temporarily absent from the universe while drunk with my corpus a menace to society.



Since you haven't had a drop of alcohol for years, and you say "all I can do is better", I'm guessing you have ended your recovery as well. Again, congratulations on getting on with life.

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Three Rational Recovery definitions (from another thread two years ago.) I find it amazing how my holding to these three distinct definitions has clarified for me over many years what would otherwise have been a murky ill defined understanding of what's going on with excessive alcohol and drug use.