Originally Posted by
johnh123 
Can anyone tell me the difference between this tecnique and "stop thought" I currently seeking additional tools to use in my recovery.
Thought stopping techniques, which belong in the cognitive-behavioral school of psychology, tend to focus on getting rid of the thoughts to drink or use by replacing them with other thoughts. There are some similarities, as in the use of a mental "STOP" word when cravings hit, which is an attempt to avoid debate, but the AVRT paradigm assumes that it may not be possible to remove desire, and that it is futile to try.
There is no "relapse prevention" or "coping with triggers" in AVRT. It is assumed that there will be situations which bring on thoughts of drinking or using, and that they may come up at any time. With AVRT, you don't avoid these thoughts, or try to get rid of them. You simply dissociate from such thoughts by recognizing them as coming from a separate entity, and they lose their power. Over time, they become weaker and less frequent.