Originally Posted by
dustyfox 
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I am totally committed to my decision never to drink again, and oddly reading the book made me feel weaker in this decision rather than stronger just because rather superficially I don't like the man's writing style!
It’s not really “odd” as the AV will use anything within you to try to weaken your Big Plan, such as “Now you have a “weaker” “total commitment”” (as if that were even possible).
I suppose, Fusion as I have never been to any meetings or tried any treatment, all that was rather lost on me.
Here, you have no “learned helplessness” to unlearn. Much of the book is about unlearning that learned helplessness that is endemic to many social institutions serving substance abusers that make recovery a group process, believing it cannot be done alone; or even once and for all time.
The one thing I am not sure is correct is dismissing the possibility of peer support helping in recovery - I am finding my daily check in here to this forum very helpful, it keeps my eye on the ball, and makes me feel good even when I am suffering physical withdrawal symptoms. That's surely a good thing and strengthens commitment?
Here, you have made contact with a simple learned Technique of RE-cognition of your Addictive Voice, and its quick process of leading one to the pledge of permanent abstinence. This is a learned willfulness; becoming abstinent the way most people do on their own; not a learned helplessness. I believe there’s a difference between using SR to build good firewalls around the willfulness of the Big Plan and using SR to build a support network because you might come to believe you can’t keep from drinking all by yourself.