Framing the AV
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 10
Framing the AV
I must admit that RR and its principles are appealing to me. However, I have a question for those that follow AVRT. When framing your conversation with your AV, do you think of it as separate from you? Do you think of it as an actual thing?
I hope I am phrasing this well enough to get my questions across. Essentially, I have a mental block when it comes to thinking of AV as an actual, real thing. I can recognize when I want to drink, understand the techniques behind confronting those desires as something trying to hurt my overall self but I still find it difficult to address AV as something that is real.
How do you 'see' your AV? What is your AV, to you? (For those that follow this path to sobriety)
I hope I am phrasing this well enough to get my questions across. Essentially, I have a mental block when it comes to thinking of AV as an actual, real thing. I can recognize when I want to drink, understand the techniques behind confronting those desires as something trying to hurt my overall self but I still find it difficult to address AV as something that is real.
How do you 'see' your AV? What is your AV, to you? (For those that follow this path to sobriety)
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: "I'm not lost for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost ..."
Posts: 5,273
AV is any thinking, in words or images, that supports or even suggests the future use of alcohol. It's the head noise. I think of it as separate from me in that IT wants to drink but I do not. I separate myself from that thinking...I identify that thinking as not my own, or not from the "right mind" part of me...
Some people personify their beast (addictive desire).
Some people personify their beast (addictive desire).
Not The Way way, Just the way
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: US
Posts: 1,413
From p. 110 of Rational Recovery: The New Cure by Jack Trimpey,
"Beast" is actually more than a metaphor. In a very real way, there is a beast within each human being ... a carryover from prehistoric times ... effective at getting what it wants for survival. ... It doesn't give up, and it will use as much of your human capacity as it can to learn, reason, plan ahead, and move about in order to satisfy its survival appetites. ... Your beast brain believes that alcohol is just as important for survival as oxygen. ..."
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,090
I like can relate to both soberlicious and GT's posts.
I've only personalized it to the point where I can recognize my AV as "IT".
Yesterday afternoon, I had a visitor who brought me a Latte from a well known coffee shop. I can't remember the last time I drank coffee that late in the day, much less coffee that had a lot of caffeine in it so I was fairly jacked by the I went to bed. "IT" started in as soon as I lay my head on the pillow. Without any forethought, I told IT to go get hit by a car (visualized it as well).
Can't tell you what IT looked like but I can tell you what the car looked like. Racing thoughts stopped and I fell right off to sleep.
I will not indulge in a late afternoon coffee again.
Still new to AVRT so I'm always open to people dissecting my posts for any signs of the AV.
I've only personalized it to the point where I can recognize my AV as "IT".
Yesterday afternoon, I had a visitor who brought me a Latte from a well known coffee shop. I can't remember the last time I drank coffee that late in the day, much less coffee that had a lot of caffeine in it so I was fairly jacked by the I went to bed. "IT" started in as soon as I lay my head on the pillow. Without any forethought, I told IT to go get hit by a car (visualized it as well).
Can't tell you what IT looked like but I can tell you what the car looked like. Racing thoughts stopped and I fell right off to sleep.
I will not indulge in a late afternoon coffee again.
Still new to AVRT so I'm always open to people dissecting my posts for any signs of the AV.
Life Goes On
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 6,069
It really took some settling down on my part to "get" this.
I used to have conversations with the AV - until I recognized It was baiting me.
I used to try to ignore the AV - until I recognized that it would not be silenced by "trying" to ignore It.
I used to tell me AV to shut up - until I recognized that I was giving it power by being confrontational.
Of late, I am not employing any strategy at all with regard to controlling, manipulating or refuting It. I acknowledge it's presence when it comes along and then I Quite Deliberately put It aside. It's somewhat akin to ignoring my cat who puts up a fuss sometimes when I walk into the kitchen. She (the cat) is somewhat predictable with her meowing, so I am prepared for those times and I hardly react at all because I expect her to carry on. Other times, I've forgotten that she will carry on, so I might say something dismissively, but it doesn't bother me or worry me that the silly beast thinks she should be fed something simply because I'm there.
The beast is a real phenomena, created and nurtured by my continued drinking. There is a part of me that wants to drink and probably always will. It does not think, nor does It control me. But It is a feeling/desire/compulsion that I recognize within myself and that is ALL it is.
I used to have conversations with the AV - until I recognized It was baiting me.
I used to try to ignore the AV - until I recognized that it would not be silenced by "trying" to ignore It.
I used to tell me AV to shut up - until I recognized that I was giving it power by being confrontational.
Of late, I am not employing any strategy at all with regard to controlling, manipulating or refuting It. I acknowledge it's presence when it comes along and then I Quite Deliberately put It aside. It's somewhat akin to ignoring my cat who puts up a fuss sometimes when I walk into the kitchen. She (the cat) is somewhat predictable with her meowing, so I am prepared for those times and I hardly react at all because I expect her to carry on. Other times, I've forgotten that she will carry on, so I might say something dismissively, but it doesn't bother me or worry me that the silly beast thinks she should be fed something simply because I'm there.
The beast is a real phenomena, created and nurtured by my continued drinking. There is a part of me that wants to drink and probably always will. It does not think, nor does It control me. But It is a feeling/desire/compulsion that I recognize within myself and that is ALL it is.
Adventures In SpaceTime
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Posts: 5,827
Originally Posted by blackbeard 
I must admit that RR and its principles are appealing to me. However, I have a question for those that follow AVRT. When framing your conversation with your AV, do you think of it as separate from you? Do you think of it as an actual thing?
I hope I am phrasing this well enough to get my questions across. Essentially, I have a mental block when it comes to thinking of AV as an actual, real thing. I can recognize when I want to drink, understand the techniques behind confronting those desires as something trying to hurt my overall self but I still find it difficult to address AV as something that is real.
How do you 'see' your AV? What is your AV, to you? (For those that follow this path to sobriety)
I hope I am phrasing this well enough to get my questions across. Essentially, I have a mental block when it comes to thinking of AV as an actual, real thing. I can recognize when I want to drink, understand the techniques behind confronting those desires as something trying to hurt my overall self but I still find it difficult to address AV as something that is real.
How do you 'see' your AV? What is your AV, to you? (For those that follow this path to sobriety)
There is no future drinking in my future. There is no drinking in my now. All my drinking experiences are in my past, and even then, in my disassociated drinking past, lol.
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: uk
Posts: 725
what a fab thread/posts ,, and very easy to understand,,, i havent been around here much,,, still thinking up new ways of getting dear cuddly robby robot in a tiz,,,,,, no such luck,, as yet xxx hehehe x im just not that clever xx lol xx ( oops) x
but ,,, i really enjoyed reading this one,, clear and no contraditions,, just concise and to the point,, its what i need anyhoo,,,,
so,, a quick update ,, still doing fab,,, feeling fab,, well apart from my cts,, but ok,, waaitng my surgery date xx ugh x hate being on the other side,, im an ex nurse,, and its so darn hard being a patient,,but im a very patient patient cos of it xx
hope everyone is well and dandy
lv cleo xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
:ghug3
but ,,, i really enjoyed reading this one,, clear and no contraditions,, just concise and to the point,, its what i need anyhoo,,,,
so,, a quick update ,, still doing fab,,, feeling fab,, well apart from my cts,, but ok,, waaitng my surgery date xx ugh x hate being on the other side,, im an ex nurse,, and its so darn hard being a patient,,but im a very patient patient cos of it xx
hope everyone is well and dandy
lv cleo xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
:ghug3
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