Baleine

I'm half way through this book and its fantastic. It's no BS straight talk is exactly what I need and I'm actually laughing while reading it as its really resonating. Here's one part that made me laugh:

Addicted people are strongly inclined to wonder endlessly, "why, why, why, do I do this, when I know the trouble it causes?" Why is fairly obvious - you love to get zonked.

Lol! Simple and effective. I really like the way it's not all wishy washy higher power stuff, that always made me feel a bit uncomfortable as I'm not religious. Plus I have extreme difficulty saying I'm powerless.

He also gives an amazing description of what it's like to get drunk. I never thought about it much but always thought that my way of getting drunk was different to everyone else's, but he describes it to a tee!

lessgravity

This book was the turning point on my way to sobriety. Not that it isn't still often a struggle. But yes this book spoke to me in so many ways.

There are plenty others but the one that hit me as hard as RR did is Jason Vale's Kick the Drink Easily (cheesy as that title is!).

Congrats on finding RR.

CuteNGayYay

I'm loving the Rational Recovery book too. I'm realllly feelin AVRT. So glad I found it and did the crash test on Day 1.

misspond

I'm looking forward to getting my copy in the post next week. I have read as much as I can on the website but thought that the book would be a good investment (considering how much I have "invested" in the past in red wine).

dwtbd

How about it?! I was blown away by the straight forward in, your face approach.

Looking back I see how even though I explicitly rejected the disease model of addiction, I implicitly excepted the fundamentals on which it is based and how this acceptance worked against any motivation to 'really' try and quit. I allowed myself to use the idea that, at some level for whatever reason it wasn't 'really' my fault, something was driving it (the continued addiction). It blocked me from seeing that to stop what I had to do was stop. Just stop, it seems crazy to think that it is that 'simple' but in essence, it is.
Committing to staying stopped is obviously the key, but realising that the entire process is self achieved and self directed is liberating, to say the least.
Onward!

sugarbear1

it's all simple, it's just not easy for us to accomplish.....

dwtbd

One of the impediments to ending an addiction , is the belief that it is not self directed or self achieved.
Once this is realized( that ending an addiction is self directed) it becomes easier, not necessarily 'easy'. I know how hard it can be, I like you are here on this site, this isn't my first time quitting. What I am saying is this is the first time I 'get' it. I drank because I wanted to, it was pleasurable , too pleasurable, I was willing to give up everything else for that pleasure. Thinking it was driving me(like an incurable disease) and not the other way around was the thinking that kept me from seeing that I could quit for good.

freshstart57

Awesome, Baleine. Congratulations to you. It is all up to you how this proceeds for you now. You have what you need to know.

Consider popping by the Secular Connections forum where you can find directed discussion about AVRT and other self-managed sobriety tools. And much support for you, too!

Onward!

Oldselfagain

I'm reading a great book now. It's called Goodbye Mr. Wonderful: Alcoholism, Addiction and Early Recovery. The author's name is Chris McCully. It's a great read for those of us in early recovery. Some really funny parts too as some stupid things we've all done when drunk we just have to laugh at (or cry!).

Baleine

I am feeling very strong. It really reminds me of Allen Carr and his book that I used when I stopped smoking.

IOAA2

Sorry but with my lack of self discipline over the long haul I can't see how I can stay sober over the long run by reading a book. I have a great built in forgetter regarding the pain involved with my drinking. Left to my own devices I'll drink as I've proven trying to get sober. BE WELL

Dee74

Lets all play nice - books have helped keep me sober, IOAA - including the Big Book.

You all know the rules:

The Newcomers Forum is a safe and welcoming place for newcomers. Respect is essential. Debates over Recovery Methods are not allowed on the Newcomer's Forum. Posts that violate this rule will be removed without notice. (Support and experience only please.)

D

Erratic

thanks for some ideas on books, will take a look.

Dee74

Removed some posts.
Lets get back on track as per my last post, thanks

D

CuteNGayYay

Baliene I love the book and I hate to read normally. LOL Have a gr8 weekend!

Lightning Bug

I am loving the RR reading I have been doing.

dwtbd

bump
bc this is a post I could have should have written, it is a fantastic read

wakko

I am hard core AAer but I also believe that AVRT is very useful especially in early recovery. I managed to stay sober for 6 month using AVRT alone but the addictive voice was too strong and I went back. I found that my alcoholism was just a symptom of other problems and quitting drinking was only the beginning.

phoebe64

I just ordered this, just now.

Anna

I will also post in support of books, which helped me get sober and recover. I relied on books for three years of recovery before I found SR, which has become my lifeline.

There is a list of amazing books on addiction and recovery in a Sticky at the top of the Newcomers forum.