DriGuy

When someone goes back out after a long period of sobriety, I usually suspect euphoric recall played a big part in it.

Aellyce

Good idea, thanks ciowa! This is a great strategy that actually has roots in neuroscience, if someone feels safe to experience the triggers and is prepared for some cravings that might come up. I've also done this with some things that were associated with bad habits (not only drinking) and it can work great to weaken the associations, especially if it's done repeatedly in various new contexts.

You mentioned an example of a song - this reminds me of a personal favorite, not even recently but from 2019. I often listened to my favorite music drunk (very common, I think), and there was a period when I got into one of my favorite bands of all time this way especially intensely: would listen and watch their music videos on a loop while drunk out of my mind. The song would often continue playing in my head even when I sobered up, on and on while I was sick with hangovers - very unpleasant and disturbing even though I love the music. I often wished to see them live because I knew they did the most amazing performances, and one day the opportunity came. I was still drinking heavily during that time, but had a somewhat better period, and went to see the band live during a rare week when I managed to stay sober (without doing anything in particular) and felt good about it. I expected it, and it came true: it ended up being my best concert experience ever. I went alone and there was alcohol and people drinking around me all over, but nothing excessive and obnoxious, the fans of that band are typically quite intelligent and well-behaved. I was not even afraid of seeing alcohol to start with as I was a solo drinker, drinking activities in public never trigger me, and enjoyed the show tremendously. Not a single moment of desire for a drink crossed my mind during that whole day, which was pretty amazing as I can't even say I was in recovery back then, just a rare sober week. The band does quite complex performances with fantastic light shows and 3D video projections, very immersive, it was almost like a virtual reality experience. I described it later to friends as rather psychedelic, but without any chemical enhancement! Also video recorded one song with my phone. Now when I think about that band or listen to them, it is rarely the hundreds of drunken episodes listening to them that come to my mind, but that concert, and sometimes I watch the video I'd made, which makes the memory even better. Very glad this worked, because I would be sad if I had to avoid that music now sober. When I hear it now, the "craving" I sometimes get is not for alcohol, but to see them again live, and just wonder when we can have large concerts again safely with this pandemic... I would even travel to another part of the country for them, it was that good. I guess I created a new, somewhat euphoric memory for myself attending that show, but this one is healthy and realistic... well realistic for fans of that band at least .

There is a lot of other music that still triggers the euphoric recall for me, and I quickly get rid of Youtube recommendations for those when they pop up on my computer, but not the above band. I also have similar stories about interactions with people, where the context and nature of the interaction was associated with past drinking and could be triggering, not a specific person. I decided not to avoid similar with new people who are clearly very decent and support my sobriety, just give some thought to carefully choosing them. I feel less torn about it now. This is useful because I do want to make some new friends.

I would only recommend this technique though to someone who feels pretty solid with saying 'no' to the old memories and associations that might come up, otherwise it can be very dangerous early on, I think. I'm guessing it could be especially less risky for AVRT fans who feel confident. The element of the so-called "extinction" (experience while not drinking now, so no longer reinforcing the old memories) can also help break the old associations. It's a bit of a risk, but I will use this approach for a bunch of other things, because most of my triggers are positive experiences that I enjoy and would not want to deprive myself of them in sobriety. Just need to make some sensible plans and choose the new context sensibly.

ciowa

Thats pretty similar to my experience. Id often wake up in the morning with my computer on the ground with dozens of open youtube tabs of music videos/movie clips and a song queued up and Id vaguely recall listening to the song on repeat. I also would have about 3 or 4 songs playing in my head on a loop for most of the day after I quit. I knew I was getting better when the songs would start to slowly disappear from my mind. for weeks afterwards I'd avoid all the songs from my binge but eventually Id fire them up one evening and then make a trip to the liquor store to start the madness. Im glad to not be in that cycle anymore.

Aellyce

Haha, exactly! I had a friend who is a recovered alcoholic, we have very similar taste in music and often discussed this effed drunken habit, he had the same pattern. Just another indication of how much alcohol messes with the brain, including memory processes... we have blackouts and don't remember what we did while wasted, but then all those songs on a loop the day after. I'm also glad I won't have to experience that again, and can enjoy my interest in music like a normal person.