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All or nothing approach

Old 04-12-2013, 05:05 AM
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All or nothing approach

It has struck me that the AVRT method pops up quite frequently in other areas of mental addiction / imbalance.
My three issues for the last few years have been alcohol, panic attacks and cigarettes (in that order).

On day 19 of sobriety, going ok so far bar the insomnia and some moments of anger and some of immense self-doubt.
I am loosely using the basic AVRT technique, where when I experience a craving I 'talk' back to it, in the vein of 'oh you again, not interested, off you trot'.

I managed to quit cigs years ago using Allan Carr's EasyWay which uses similar imagery of the beast and killing it slowly. In fact I found this Way sooo Easy I started again after a fortnight. (Well I found it so easy to quit there wasn't a problem right?! Same as I kept doing with alcohol, recurring theme of complacency).

Finally the panic attacks were crippling me so ordered a really helpful book / DVD which held the basic theory that rational brain needs to take control over irrational. So when feeling that attack coming on, you tease it so you have the upper hand
'Come on then, you have 30 seconds to give me a stroke / heart attack / choke me etc. If you can't manage it you can go do one'

I found it interesting as I do like the black and white approach - all or nothing, just like all my behaviour it seems.

I would welcome any views, I think I am in a fairly introspective place at mo, maybe trying to get emotions / thinking back in harmony after they have been sadly neglected for so long.

Elle xx
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Old 04-12-2013, 01:46 PM
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I loosely use avrt as well. I am going on 60 days sober. I found it much simpler to understand and for me to accept. I ordered the rational recovery book and I'm just beginning to read it. When it comes down to it I think it is whatever clicks with you. Have your panic attacks been better since quitting? Mine got worse the 1st month but seem to be getting better now. I'm still not entirely sure if my panic attacks are all alcohol related. Congrats on your 19 days. That is awesome!
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Old 04-12-2013, 01:56 PM
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My panic attacks disappeared completely when I quit drinking Kiki. It's amazing how much of that was just alcohol induced anxiety.

AVRT was really helpful to me because it stopped me from engaging with my AV. I used to argue with it every night and it always won. Making a commitment to quit and sticking it to it no matter what my AV said was essential for me.

As a side note Elle, if you wet back to smoking after easyway then some part of you must still believe that there is some benefit to smoking. That's the stuff the book is supposed to address and eliminate so that if you think you need to smoke or want to then you may have missed part of it... I did go back to smoking after reading the book after 6 months but then I was drunk... Giving up smoking and drinking sure does make it easier

Well done on 19 days! x
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Old 04-12-2013, 02:08 PM
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Whenever I need to engage IT, I do this:

I hold up my hand and wiggle my fingers.

I tell IT, that if IT can wiggle my fingers IT can have anything IT wants.
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Old 04-12-2013, 02:21 PM
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Hi elleb. I'm a bit unsure exactly what you are asking. Are you asking about using AVRT to quit smoking and help with anxiety or as a way to achieve permanent abstinence from alcohol?

There is a lot of information about AVRT on our Secular Forum.

Here is part 5 of AVRT discussion which will also have links to parts 1 - 4:http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-part-5-a.html


Here is another link in our Secular Forum/Secular Connections that speaks to AVRT:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ined-long.html

I used Rational Recovery AVRT to achieve permanent abstinence from alcohol. If you'd like to know about Rational Recovery/AVRT you can google to find the site. There, you can learn a lot more about it and even take the crash course which takes no longer then 15 minutes.
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Old 04-12-2013, 02:40 PM
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I did the same thing to,get and stay sober for 2 years and 8 months today. I told my Beast, "Get lost! I don't drink anymore." I absolutely refused to engage in the dialogue, because I would lose every time I did.

Worked for me!
Nancy
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