Addictive voice
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: casablanca
Posts: 282
Addictive voice
Hello,
What drives me crazy is the addictive voice that pops outta no where sometimes. I went to a meeting today and in the MIDDLE of the meeting I had a desire to drink????? I really blame it on some of the people who shared, they talked more about what they drunk, where they drunk and how much instead of talking about the solutions to the problem. I left the meeting, I was ok for a while and then the desire to drink hit me again. this last time I have been sober now for 23 days working the program, sponsor, meetings...ect some days I felt like I would never touch alcohol again, and today out of nowhere I started having doubts whether it is actually possible for me to stay sober. I really wanna know how long til these drinking thoughts disappear. or at least become so far apart that they won't be a problem anymore. Thank you
What drives me crazy is the addictive voice that pops outta no where sometimes. I went to a meeting today and in the MIDDLE of the meeting I had a desire to drink????? I really blame it on some of the people who shared, they talked more about what they drunk, where they drunk and how much instead of talking about the solutions to the problem. I left the meeting, I was ok for a while and then the desire to drink hit me again. this last time I have been sober now for 23 days working the program, sponsor, meetings...ect some days I felt like I would never touch alcohol again, and today out of nowhere I started having doubts whether it is actually possible for me to stay sober. I really wanna know how long til these drinking thoughts disappear. or at least become so far apart that they won't be a problem anymore. Thank you
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,677
Hi notincontrol,
The idea is not for the drinking thoughts to disappear, because they won't.
The idea is for you to learn to step back and observe the thoughts, the drinking urges, as just thoughts, and to disempower those thoughts.
The thoughts are not in and of themselves able to cause your feet to move and your hands to grab the booze. Only you can do that.
Our basal urges are normal and natural and are not going to go away, any more than our sex drive, which comes from the same place. You control that, don't you? But do you want to extinguish it? Of course not.
You might want to check out the AVRT thread on the secular connections part of this forum if this concept interests you.
FT
The idea is not for the drinking thoughts to disappear, because they won't.
The idea is for you to learn to step back and observe the thoughts, the drinking urges, as just thoughts, and to disempower those thoughts.
The thoughts are not in and of themselves able to cause your feet to move and your hands to grab the booze. Only you can do that.
Our basal urges are normal and natural and are not going to go away, any more than our sex drive, which comes from the same place. You control that, don't you? But do you want to extinguish it? Of course not.
You might want to check out the AVRT thread on the secular connections part of this forum if this concept interests you.
FT
Self recovered Self discovered
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 5,148
So very well said, FT. That is AVRT is a nutshell. I try to picture the urges that come to me as happening to someone else - oh look, he is getting a thought about a drink. Another way of putting emotional distance between me and those thoughts.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: casablanca
Posts: 282
To sugarbear, No I have not shared it at the meeting because I knew that the way some members shared that got me thinking that way, they were new comers and I did not wana say anything, however I came straight home and went to the chatroom here and shared it and got many good responses.
To FT and freshstart57, I have been using rational recovery tools, I read about it a while ago and I hit their websites here and there, the Voice and the Beast they talk about and how you can recgnize the voice as being"it" not "me" was very very helpful.
I use rational recovery tools when the voice start playing tricks and I recognize it. but I still follow AA program though. only thing I did not like about AVRT is when they mention that we should not go to AA meetings anymore of we were to follow AVRT. So I just take the good stuff from AVRT (the AV, the beast..) and I follow my AA program as well. Thank you guys for your help
To FT and freshstart57, I have been using rational recovery tools, I read about it a while ago and I hit their websites here and there, the Voice and the Beast they talk about and how you can recgnize the voice as being"it" not "me" was very very helpful.
I use rational recovery tools when the voice start playing tricks and I recognize it. but I still follow AA program though. only thing I did not like about AVRT is when they mention that we should not go to AA meetings anymore of we were to follow AVRT. So I just take the good stuff from AVRT (the AV, the beast..) and I follow my AA program as well. Thank you guys for your help
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,677
Hi notincontrol,
My take on AVRT is that ALL action or inaction is voluntary. We can choose whether to act on our basal urges, or not.
I think AA is a fabulous program. It has saved many lives. I am definitely NOT against AA in any way.
My main message, however, may run contrary to some AA beliefs. I do not believe we are powerless. I am firmly behind the concept of self-determination, and it is what I promote on a daily basis in my profession.
Given that, I believe you can take it with you to AA with the mindset that you are empowered by the group, empowered by your higher power.
Only YOU can move those feet in the direction of the liquor store, and only YOU can raise that drink to your lips. It is a VOLUNTARY action on your part.
If you persist in bantering with the "addictive voice", you empower it. Don't do that. Observe it for what it is -- your lower brain functions attempting to take the wheel. You can observe it without taking it as your own. It is your choice.
FT
My take on AVRT is that ALL action or inaction is voluntary. We can choose whether to act on our basal urges, or not.
I think AA is a fabulous program. It has saved many lives. I am definitely NOT against AA in any way.
My main message, however, may run contrary to some AA beliefs. I do not believe we are powerless. I am firmly behind the concept of self-determination, and it is what I promote on a daily basis in my profession.
Given that, I believe you can take it with you to AA with the mindset that you are empowered by the group, empowered by your higher power.
Only YOU can move those feet in the direction of the liquor store, and only YOU can raise that drink to your lips. It is a VOLUNTARY action on your part.
If you persist in bantering with the "addictive voice", you empower it. Don't do that. Observe it for what it is -- your lower brain functions attempting to take the wheel. You can observe it without taking it as your own. It is your choice.
FT
Self recovered Self discovered
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Toronto Canada
Posts: 5,148
Notincontrol, it sounds to me as though you are very much in control. I agree with your approach to AA, and that it has many great ideas about leaving our drinking past behind us. FailedTaper has the straight stuff on how to handle that 'voice' - I like to imagine that not only is it not my voice, but it comes from one of the most reprehensible persons I know. That way, when the voice appears, I can point and laugh at it while I dismiss it. No white knuckles that way.
Re-Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Posts: 7,583
Notincontrol,
Good for you, and great posts all. Keep sight of the goal, sobriety. I needed the face to face too, and AA had a lot to offer me but not all by any stretch. I am "sobriety non-denominational," I was willing to take sobriety any way I could get it too. Still do.
Good for you, and great posts all. Keep sight of the goal, sobriety. I needed the face to face too, and AA had a lot to offer me but not all by any stretch. I am "sobriety non-denominational," I was willing to take sobriety any way I could get it too. Still do.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 87
Originally Posted by failedtaper 
My main message, however, may run contrary to some AA beliefs. I do not believe we are powerless. I am firmly behind the concept of [B]self-determination[/B
FT
FT
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