Addictive Voice Recognition Technique (AVRT) Discussion — Part 5
Robbie - Thanks for the insight. I need to keep reading the RR book again. Only halfway through at this time. I think the first time I read it I had no real plan to quit.
Squareone - I am somewhat familiar with mindfulness techniques in clinical work with depression and stress reduction (I am a clinical social worker by training) but not with its use for alcohol or drugs. Any recommendations on readings for this?
Squareone - I am somewhat familiar with mindfulness techniques in clinical work with depression and stress reduction (I am a clinical social worker by training) but not with its use for alcohol or drugs. Any recommendations on readings for this?
I agree mindfulness is as you have claimed BTSO, although with AVRT, AV is/are not irrational thoughts exactly. They are quite rational from the Beast's perspective of course. And from my own perspective, AV is my normal thoughts, feelings, images - recognised by me as Addictive Voice.
Still, AV is to be otherwise disassociated from my own thinking, and then dismissed as being un-significant after recognition.
Still, AV is to be otherwise disassociated from my own thinking, and then dismissed as being un-significant after recognition.
I agree mindfulness is as you have claimed BTSO, although with AVRT, AV is/are not irrational thoughts exactly. They are quite rational from the Beast's perspective of course. And from my own perspective, AV is my normal thoughts, feelings, images - recognised by me as Addictive Voice.
Still, AV is to be otherwise disassociated from my own thinking, and then dismissed as being un-significant after recognition.
Still, AV is to be otherwise disassociated from my own thinking, and then dismissed as being un-significant after recognition.
That's interesting Robby and so true. An animals desire for food and sex are necessary for the survival of the species. In a way our primitive brains are trying to convince us that we need alcohol to survive.
Once we learn to look at thoughts as just thoughts, (as in mindfulness) we can let awareness have a go at the thoughts and decide what to do with them. I don't know that it matters that much if we label the drinking thoughts as rational or not as long as awareness chooses not to attach any importance to them. I guess tho that from an AVRT perspective there would be that difference.
My Beast is OPPORTUNISTIC above all else. I'm about to leave for a counseling appointment, for chrissakes, and my AV is chattering away in my head ... 'We're alone! No babysitter (i.e., my husband) to know if we grab a bottle of wine and hide it in our obnoxiously large handbag when we get home ...' SHUT UP already!! I'm running down the clock so I leave with barely enough time to get to the appointment so I at least am not able to grab some on the way there. I will be nothing but disgusted with myself in the morning if I give in to this pestering.
I'm getting to be a big fan of looking at statements I've made, and just changing a word or two. By doing this, I can change a statement of fear into one of strength and courage. May I, Kizzie?
I will be disgusted with myself in the morning if I give in to this pestering.
I refuse to be disgusted with myself in the morning so I won't give in to this pestering.
Hope you can accept the detour - you are doing very very well. Congratulations.
I will be disgusted with myself in the morning if I give in to this pestering.
I refuse to be disgusted with myself in the morning so I won't give in to this pestering.
Hope you can accept the detour - you are doing very very well. Congratulations.
My Beast is OPPORTUNISTIC above all else. I'm about to leave for a counseling appointment, for chrissakes, and my AV is chattering away in my head ... 'We're alone! No babysitter (i.e., my husband) to know if we grab a bottle of wine and hide it in our obnoxiously large handbag when we get home ...' SHUT UP already!! I'm running down the clock so I leave with barely enough time to get to the appointment so I at least am not able to grab some on the way there. I will be nothing but disgusted with myself in the morning if I give in to this pestering.
It may be that your taste in purses did have to do with hiding booze. Well, now that you don't, make it squirm and get a small purse, and see if IT tells you you're now going to have to get the little bottles of airplane liquor.
The fastest way to eliminate ITs pestering is to make a Big Plan and expose its folly with the penetrating language of AVRT. Enjoy permanent abstinence. It's really nice.
Playing together is such a personal experience for all of us, and although I won't agree that AVRT and AA play well together, I of course totally agree they can certainly work well together. Semantics?
I really do keep both models of recovery well apart in my mind, and my actions. For example, I don't bring or otherwise discuss AVRT in any AA meeting. I do AA at AA, and my AVRT remains not hidden as such, but private and isolated. AVRT works well in this way being nothing more than a set of techniques. Keeping my AVRT behaved, lol, does not lend itself to me as a great playing partner with AA. I can just imagine me freely sharing my AVRT with AA guys and AA in general. It would not be "fun" hence I don't think they play well together.
As an example of playing well together, Christianity and AA play well together, even though it is not required one be a Christian while doing AA. Certainly if I said I was a Christian at an AA meeting, nothing much would transpire. Same as if I talked about God, no big deal either. As another example of not playing well together, God and secular don't play well together, and my recovery program is agnostic in nature, and this forum is not someplace I would talk about my Christianity either.
As for the other way around, AVRT doesn't have meetings, social gatherings, etc. It's all work and no play with AVRT, for me, anyways.
I've no problem with others perhaps thinking how my interpretations miss the suggested point that actually AVRT and AA do play well together, or others may decide I'm just being semantically uptight.
AA at least as some social enjoyments.
I really do keep both models of recovery well apart in my mind, and my actions. For example, I don't bring or otherwise discuss AVRT in any AA meeting. I do AA at AA, and my AVRT remains not hidden as such, but private and isolated. AVRT works well in this way being nothing more than a set of techniques. Keeping my AVRT behaved, lol, does not lend itself to me as a great playing partner with AA. I can just imagine me freely sharing my AVRT with AA guys and AA in general. It would not be "fun" hence I don't think they play well together.
As an example of playing well together, Christianity and AA play well together, even though it is not required one be a Christian while doing AA. Certainly if I said I was a Christian at an AA meeting, nothing much would transpire. Same as if I talked about God, no big deal either. As another example of not playing well together, God and secular don't play well together, and my recovery program is agnostic in nature, and this forum is not someplace I would talk about my Christianity either.
As for the other way around, AVRT doesn't have meetings, social gatherings, etc. It's all work and no play with AVRT, for me, anyways.
I've no problem with others perhaps thinking how my interpretations miss the suggested point that actually AVRT and AA do play well together, or others may decide I'm just being semantically uptight.
AA at least as some social enjoyments.
So, AVRT is much more connected to allowing a huge variety of personal PLAYtime, while the other program is hugely invasive into the rest of a person's life requiring NEVERENDING SOBRIETY WORK. Which in AVRT terms is another way of feeding the BEAST so IT is never caged and conquered.
Also, there are a lot of Christians who don't like the way some programs alter religious language and concepts. AVRT does nothing along those lines.
Playing together is such a personal experience for all of us, and although I won't agree that AVRT and AA play well together, I of course totally agree they can certainly work well together. Semantics?
I really do keep both models of recovery well apart in my mind, and my actions. For example, I don't bring or otherwise discuss AVRT in any AA meeting. I do AA at AA, and my AVRT remains not hidden as such, but private and isolated. AVRT works well in this way being nothing more than a set of techniques. Keeping my AVRT behaved, lol, does not lend itself to me as a great playing partner with AA. I can just imagine me freely sharing my AVRT with AA guys and AA in general. It would not be "fun" hence I don't think they play well together.
As an example of playing well together, Christianity and AA play well together, even though it is not required one be a Christian while doing AA. Certainly if I said I was a Christian at an AA meeting, nothing much would transpire. Same as if I talked about God, no big deal either. As another example of not playing well together, God and secular don't play well together, and my recovery program is agnostic in nature, and this forum is not someplace I would talk about my Christianity either.
As for the other way around, AVRT doesn't have meetings, social gatherings, etc. It's all work and no play with AVRT, for me, anyways.
I've no problem with others perhaps thinking how my interpretations miss the suggested point that actually AVRT and AA do play well together, or others may decide I'm just being semantically uptight.
AA at least as some social enjoyments.
I really do keep both models of recovery well apart in my mind, and my actions. For example, I don't bring or otherwise discuss AVRT in any AA meeting. I do AA at AA, and my AVRT remains not hidden as such, but private and isolated. AVRT works well in this way being nothing more than a set of techniques. Keeping my AVRT behaved, lol, does not lend itself to me as a great playing partner with AA. I can just imagine me freely sharing my AVRT with AA guys and AA in general. It would not be "fun" hence I don't think they play well together.
As an example of playing well together, Christianity and AA play well together, even though it is not required one be a Christian while doing AA. Certainly if I said I was a Christian at an AA meeting, nothing much would transpire. Same as if I talked about God, no big deal either. As another example of not playing well together, God and secular don't play well together, and my recovery program is agnostic in nature, and this forum is not someplace I would talk about my Christianity either.
As for the other way around, AVRT doesn't have meetings, social gatherings, etc. It's all work and no play with AVRT, for me, anyways.
I've no problem with others perhaps thinking how my interpretations miss the suggested point that actually AVRT and AA do play well together, or others may decide I'm just being semantically uptight.
AA at least as some social enjoyments.
That's all. I could have made that clearer couldn't I have? Thanks, Received.
6 AM and I've been reading all night. This five-part marathon thread has been very helpful, thank you very much.
Rewind three weeks...
After 35 years of progressive drunking I finally got fed up with me and quit. Frozen fowl method. Detoxed at home, nearly called the EMT's, survived. Starting cleaning house.
After about a week, decided to allow myself a glass of red wine with dinner. You know, "for the health benefits". That worked ok. Till this past weekend.
I went directly from Level 1 to Level 5 of Larry Miller's 5 Levels of Drunk. Luckily, I was reasonably sobered up when my father and sister showed up today. They were ready to put me in a rehab program, as in NOW. After much discussion, they decided to let me give it another try on my own.
I fired up the computer about 1 PM and started researching self-help programs. I hit the RR website and started reading.
CLICK
I literally felt the click in my addled brain. When I took the crash course, it resonated with me in ways nothing ever has. I then read the entire website. Ordered the books from RR, declared my Big Plan. Did some googling and found this thread. Been keeping the beast at bay all day and all night.
Since y'all were there helping me I thought I should thank you.
Rewind three weeks...
After 35 years of progressive drunking I finally got fed up with me and quit. Frozen fowl method. Detoxed at home, nearly called the EMT's, survived. Starting cleaning house.
After about a week, decided to allow myself a glass of red wine with dinner. You know, "for the health benefits". That worked ok. Till this past weekend.
I went directly from Level 1 to Level 5 of Larry Miller's 5 Levels of Drunk. Luckily, I was reasonably sobered up when my father and sister showed up today. They were ready to put me in a rehab program, as in NOW. After much discussion, they decided to let me give it another try on my own.
I fired up the computer about 1 PM and started researching self-help programs. I hit the RR website and started reading.
CLICK
I literally felt the click in my addled brain. When I took the crash course, it resonated with me in ways nothing ever has. I then read the entire website. Ordered the books from RR, declared my Big Plan. Did some googling and found this thread. Been keeping the beast at bay all day and all night.
Since y'all were there helping me I thought I should thank you.
Welcome, Trachymis. That is fantastic news for you. Yes, absolutely, you can quit.
There is lots more to read around here too, so please make yourself at home. Glad you found us.
There is lots more to read around here too, so please make yourself at home. Glad you found us.
Trachymis, congratulations! I see that you HAVE QUIT! And that you confidently know you are now PERMANENTLY abstinent.
GT
"The beast in me is caged by frail and fragile bars"
Since the BEAST is a quadriplegic it doesn't matter how frail and fragile the bars are. IT can only make you think and feel. IT cannot make you move a single muscle - EVER.
Since the BEAST is a quadriplegic it doesn't matter how frail and fragile the bars are. IT can only make you think and feel. IT cannot make you move a single muscle - EVER.
Score: Trachymis:2 IT:0
Went to do some laundry. My favorite wine and liquor outlets between here and there. Yeah, IT wanted to stop. Both ways. Even went in the grocery where the wine shop is to get some lunch. Too bad for IT.
Went to do some laundry. My favorite wine and liquor outlets between here and there. Yeah, IT wanted to stop. Both ways. Even went in the grocery where the wine shop is to get some lunch. Too bad for IT.
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