dancinggirl

I have just read up on AVRT and am thoroughly confused. A lot of the concepts in there really make sense to me as a way to think of my boozing thoughts as an Alcoholic Voice (AV) or Beast. Yet from what I read, it is adamant in AVRT that you should not participate in any kind of AA or recovery programs, as it keeps the thoughts of drinking active in your head and will lead you to relapse.

I've started AA this week...day four....and thought that THIS would be the different thing for me to do to actually get sober and stay sober. Now I'm scared because so many things in AVRT resonated with me and are polar opposite to AA!

Help/advice/suggestions, please!!

Lenina

Dancing girl,

I've used a combo of AVRT and AA for some time quite comfortably. I made a Big Plan, I don't drink, ever, never. That's best for me. the Beast doesn't need loopholes. I don't negotiate, chit chat or talk to the Addictive Voice. If I feel a stirring of the Beast, I just acknowledge it and move on.

I have used the 12 Steps to help improve my personal life. And the Principles do help me stay honest and ethical.

I hope this helps.

Love from Lenina

Sometime

It's funny how different concepts can so disagree with each other in such a way. You mustn't use one if you're using another!?

You do whatever works for you.

If you find something that's working and you think you'll be able to use aspects of another to help you further, then go for it. Do whatever you can to defeat the poison that is alcohol.

Gavinandnikki

Hi and welcome!
I am in 100% agreement with Lenina. I started my recovery in the rooms of AA fresh out of detox/rehab. The personal improvement aspects of the 12 steps really resonated with me. The higher power stuff did not, so I left the rooms. Made my Big Plan just 4 days ago after 7 months of near complete abstinence.

So don't be confused!!! Learn as much as you can. Use what rings true for you, leave the rest.

Best wishes,
Pam

Anna

Please do whatever works for you.

The only important thing is that you get and stay sober and recover.

I do believe that recognizing the addict voice is a big step in recovery, but I use books and SR as the mainstay of my recovery.

MemphisBlues

I read AVRT a decade ago and used the reasoning there to avoid AA since it was a cult and only reinforced the desire to drink.

And I drank for 10 years.

In the two years I have now been back in the rooms, I have heard someone say "I wanted to drink the other day" only a handful of times. Most of the discussion is on the personal characteristics of the alcoholic, and how the 12 steps address those character shortcomings.

AVRT works for many here, and maybe posting in the secular section of SR might get you a more AVRT educated response, but I also know of several people here who use both AVRT and AA.

Dee74

Welcome back dancinggirl

I'm a big believer in whatever works - I don't really hold much truck with 'shouldas' and 'gottas'.

I have little experience of either method, but I know many people who work both comfortably - some of them in this thread

If AA is working for you - awesome. If you find something else like AVRT resonates with you as well - that's even awesomer...you have two lines of defense

You'll find more AVRT threads in our Secular Connections forum


D

MemphisBlues

My acerbic wit fails me this morning (Manila time).

Now that the caffeine and nicotine have restored some semblance of normal firing between synapses, let me clarify my intent to the OP.

I have been sober for two years thanks to AA and a Higher Power, since there is now way in hell I could have ever achieved that on my own. I do suspect the majority of alcoholics and addicts out there get sober without a program. Many can assimilate aspects of several programs into a successful recovery.

A decade ago I dabbled in AA, was convinced it was a cult, and then read Rational Recovery and --AH HA -- found proof that AA was a bunch of charlatans. Many have the grit and intelligence to embrace AVRT, and I find that program very useful. I didn't -- or couldn't -- adapt the AVRT program. I didn't have the mental fortitude to apply the logical principles AVRT adheres to.

So I drank for another 10 years. I certainly didn't drink and drug for a decade because of failings in AVRT. I drank and drugged because I had to address inherent character faults of mine that required me to drink and drug.

Then I stumbled into the rooms two years ago, embraced the program and achieved what I could never have accomplished on my own.

skeletoncrue

Do what works for you.

I tried other methods and they just felt so "wrong" to ME.

They just flew in the face every thing I believed.

So, needless to say, I didn't get much out of them and kept drinking.

I finally discovered AVRT and it clicked immediately, and powerfully.

I couldn't even TRY moderation now, because I will never drink again.

There are lots of choices out there.

Find one that feels right and makes sense to you and dive in!

dancinggirl

Thank you, everyone! I'm going to stick with AA because I love the community feel of it and the idea of working on the messed up things inside of me. But I'm also going to think of my alcoholism as the Beast, an "it", and acknowledge when it is speaking to me so that I don't fall in the trap of thinking that I want a drink...it does...and I'm not cool with having a parasite living in me (if that makes sense).

Lenina

it makes absolute sense, ((((dancing girl)))!!

much love,

Lenina

gordano

I use both AA and AVRT because i agree with some aspects of both, and disagree with parts as well. Its a custom tailored plan that has been working for me for the last 103 days. I know I am still in early recovery, but I don't see why your sobriety plan cant be a hybrid of both.