Billnsb

I've been sober over 4 years, now. I initially went to AA after I put myself in rehab(which was AA-based). Went to meetings for a while – basically for the exposure of seeing other people with my problem and keep it top-of-mind– I guess. I've always had trouble with the god thing, and over time I just got more out of talking to myself.

I tried to quit many times, but eventually alcohol became unenjoyable. However. I still couldn't quit.

My last time in rehab, I just knew this was it.

It's been remarkably easy without any dogma, other than reflecting on how bad my life was when I drank. That's not to say I don't think about drinking occasionally, but to date, those feelings are easily dismissed.
Am I unusual. Am I an AVRT person without knowing it?

For reference: I did drink for over 20 years and when I quit I was consuming about 30 beers a day.

Saskia

Welcome, Billnsb!

I've only been here a few months and feel like I'm just scratching the surface of AVRT. There are some good resources on the web and in book form. If you look at the first page of the long discussion thread in this section, you should find that info. If you can't find it, just PM me and I'll be happy to send you a copy.

What you describe sounds a lot like the basics of AVRT ... Recognizing that there is a part of us (referred to as Alcoholic Voice" or "the beast") that we can't eliminate but we learn to recognize it and dissociate ourselves from it -- not engage with it.

You may find one or more of those links helpful.

I hope you find what you're looking for.

CactusJill

I am AVRT but new to it. Like you, Bill, and like many AVRT people, I never fully bought into AA. I don't quite believe the disease model because it in many ways frees the alcoholic from responsibility for his/her recovery. I was relapsing because I thought "Oh, it's a chronic, incurable disease so I'm going to relapse..." That sort of thinking, plus the self-flagellation that AA invites, just didn't do it for me. The God part wasn't a problem for me, but the dogma and one-size-fits-all nature of AA made me feel rebellious and resentful.

AVRT isn't for everyone, but then, neither is AA or any other treatment program. I would encourage you to check out the links Saskia talked about. Who knows? Maybe this is for you.

Dalek

No. AVRT was developed based on the collective experiences of people such as yourself who simply quit, without resorting to addiction treatment or recovery group participation. No guarantees, of course, but most people in your situation have a fairly easy time grasping AVRT, and it may suit you.

65rzezchic

What's AVRT??

TheCrazies

I'm more into SMART Recovery here, that being said, I never really studied AVRT.

freshstart57

AVRT stands for Addictive Voice Recognition Technique. It is sort of a mental trick than anyone can learn to do, and it 'fixes' addictive behaviour in an hour or so once you learn it. There is much information about it, and the resulting discussion, right here on SR, as well as elsewhere on the interweb. It is pretty cool if you ask me.

Mel12

Dear Bill,

I am not AVRT. All I have done so far is join this site and write a few posts. I have also carefully read several books. So far I have felt no pull to focus on a particular approach, though, no doubt, I have picked up wonderful ideas from each and all.

Mel

onlythetruth

One of the fundamental ideas of AVRT is the decision (the Big Plan): "I will never drink/use again, and I will never change my mind." That was how I thought of it, even from the start, even before I was exposed to any rehab or program or anything. It just seemed obvious to me...and it still does.

So even though I spent years in AA and eventually gravitated toward the SMART Recovery program, I am a big fan of AVRT. I used it without even knowing I was using it!

soberlicious

As Dalek said, AVRT is based on the self-recovered population. A lot of it will probably make sense to you. So, yeah...you probably are. Learning about it many years after I had quit has been helpful for me, though.