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Sunday, September 7, 2008

rational recovery


the principles used by Rational Recovery are quite interesting and could be of value to anyone seeking help with an addiction problem.

these views are quite contrary to the traditional methods used for years, which continue today.

I see some good points that deserve consideration.

there are some people who could benefit from the RR approach;

among them are those who can't relate to 12 step programs.




Addiction recovery is not a group project; it is an individual responsibility. You are ultimately on your own.


• There are no Rational Recovery groups anywhere in the world! Your desire for “support” is nothing more, and nothing less, than a plan to get loaded in the absence of support.



There is nothing in your past, in your genes, in your brain, or in your
personality that compels you to drink or use. Using is voluntary,
purposeful behavior.


• The sole cause
of your addiction is a voice in your head that tells you to “Do it!” in
a thousand different ways. That is your Addictive Voice.


• Personal problems don’t cause addiction; addiction causes your personal problems.


• Self-improvement does not result in addiction recovery. Recovery leads to self-improvement.


• You drink or use because you love to get high. Admit it!


• The worst possible way to quit something you love is one-day-at-a-time.



Stay away from recovery groups of all kinds; you can’t possibly recover
there. They’ll never let you go, and you’ll be “in recovery” forever.



Stay away from shrinks; most substance abuse counselors are members of
recovery groups, unable to trust themselves without evening
supervision. The rest have never been addicted, and can only guess at
what addiction is and what to do about it.



Your physician can’t help you with your addiction; he may even be
supporting it. Most refer to recovery groups, to which many of them
belong. However, they do have good treatments for withdrawal, if you are in danger of seizures.


• Consider that the real truth about addiction and recovery lies in the exact opposite of most popular beliefs.


• Recall your original family values, the ideas about right and wrong you knew by the age of 5 or 6. Those are your foundation for addiction recovery.



Your beliefs about God are fine, whether you believe or not. Sound,
sprititual growth may only follow AVRT-based recovery, when your
thoughts are not biased by the mandate of addiction.


• AVRT-based recovery is as difficult as you make it, and takes as long as you choose.


• If you won’t trust yourself, why should anyone else?

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4 comments:

Shadow said...

well, that surely is quite a different view to the norm. yet a few of them do make sense. like i always say, take some, leave some, as long as it works for you!

Kathy Lynne said...

I agree that they deserve consideration but I tried this as well as Smart Recovery (some sort of internal split I think) and they didn't work for me and there are some that I think are harmful..

1. I couldn't do it by myself

2. I strongly believe it is a disease as does the AMA and therefore there may very well be a genetic and/or biological component.

3. Sole cause? I don't believe in absolutes.

4. I thoroughly agree with the next three points regarding personal problems, self improvement and loving getting high.

5. If I think of a lifetime without alcohol it sets me up for failure. If I think of a day without alcohol its achievable.

6. AA saved my life and that's a group. I can leave whenever I want and I can come back whenever I want. There are no dues or fees for membership. If I declare myself a member I am one. Noone else can declare me a member. AA is full of people who HAVE recovered from alcoholism as stated in their literature.

7. My therapist helped me tremendously though I agree, it helped alot that she was a recovered alcoholic. I don't think people without addicitions can possibly understand.

8. Not everyone grows up in a nice family with nice values. I agree that what we learn about right and wrong is probably established by the time we are 8 or so but I wouldn't necessarily want everyone to fall back on that.

9. Developing trust in myself is exactly what I have learned in AA.

All I know is that if you can stay sober and live a happy, joyous and free life without AA then more power to you. Whatever works. I just know what did and did not work for me and feel obligated to share that with others.

Fireman John said...

kathy,
while it is encouraging that aa works for you; consider the other 19 out of 20 that came in with you, who never made it to 1 year.
i view alcoholism as an avoidable allergy, rather than a disease.
it is unlike diabetes or hay fever;
it requires no medication, and is not present in the air or water.

Kathy Lynne said...

John..I'm with you on that one. While those approaches did not work for me, (not sure what their numbers are but I'd be one of their 19), I have no problems with others using them. If they work then that is wonderful. And yes alcoholism is an avoidable allergy and all of these programs AA, RR, etc. teach us how to avoid it. I prefer AA's method.

 
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