tamanza

Never done the chatroom thing before so I'm a bit lost.
Every day I tell my brain that I don't need or want alchohol,but every day it's like a switch flicks in my head and before I know it its there in my shopping basketAAGGHH!!!
How do I change my mindset????
Any ideas????
PS. Hi 2 u all and sending out kind thoughts x

MrsKing

Welcome to SR. You'll find many people have done that same thing. We know what you're going through and have been there. It's good to have you here. You'll find lots of support and understanding.

Have you ever heard of AVRT? (Addictive Voice Recognition Technique) It sort of trains you to understand what is your addiction talking and what is you... it's INCREDIBLY useful - it has liberated me and I am now able to look at alcohol in the supermarket and know that I honestly 100% do not want it, at all. If you fancy taking a look, you can google the AVRT crash course... it takes barely any time at all. I found it quite revolutionary.

You also need to WANT to quit, more than anything else. But it sounds like you are.

All the best to you.

MetalChick

I just decided I had had enough of the pain. It hurt more to drink then to not. You have come to the right place, luv

SlimSlim

Tamanza:

AVRT is basically learning to recognize your subconscious voice (called AV addict's voice or the Beast) when it is trying to sabotage your sobriety and puts personal responsibility on conscious decisions.

The subconscious (or AV- Addict's Voice) cannot do anything without the cooperation of the conscious. Here's a breakdown of all the opportunities you have to make choices not to drink every day when you stop for groceries and end up drinking:

1. Before you go into the grocery store, am I going to buy alcohol? Yes or no?
2. As you approach the beer and wine section, am I going to stop here? Yes or no?
3. In front of the beer and wine, am I going to put some alcohol in my cart? Yes or no?
4. At the checkout counter, am I going to buy this alcohol? Yes or no?
5. When you get home and unpack your groceries, am I going to keep this alcohol? Yes or no?
6. As you pour a glass, am I going to drink this? Yes or no? Listen to the voice that tells you to pour the glass and the rest of the bottle down the drain.

Think about all the choices you have to say no along the way. What do you think and feel at each step when you give in and say yes to the Beast? Recognize that at any step along the way, you have to opportunity to say NO. The further you go down the list before you say NO, the harder it is because you are listening to the Beast, not yourself. Learn to listen to yourself, not the Beast. The Beast is not your friend.

Sapling

Welcome to SR!!....Glad to have you with us.

spryte

Hey Tamanza!! Welcome to SR

AVRT sounds like a good idea for learning about how your mind does that. Even just starting to pay attention to what you're thinking: what am I thinking now? what goes on in my mind in the time leading up to buying booze? would be a great start.

Hang around! post away! You might want to check out the newcomers forum as well.

spryte

CarolD

Welcome too our recovery community...

For me to actually quit drinking...I started with the idea that
I had to want to stop more than I wanted to drink.

I follow the AA program and it's working very well for me.
Havve you been getting any kind of support?

freshstart57

I learned that I had been doing the same thing, being aware of that urge and observing it, and deciding each time that it wasn't really what I wanted anymore, it was just the voice of my addiction, that beast that just loves getting plastered no matter what. I learned that it was actually called AVRT. It is the collected experience of thousands who got sober 'on their own' and I join Mrs.King, SlimSlim and Spryte in recommending this technique. We talk about it a lot in our Secular Connections forum.

I also learned that the mindfulness technique that Spryte describes to be the perfect tool to go along with this AVRT idea. Together, they make a very powerful combination. I wish you the best on your journey.

Boleo

Could it be you are "powerless" over alcohol? If so, try 11 more steps. Action changes thinking better than thinking changes action.