February 10, 2004
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30 days of abstinence
One of Moderation Management’s recommendations is that taking a 30-day break from drinking can provide a window in which to examine one’s relationship with alcohol.
That’s the way it’s worked for me. My first abs in 2000 opened my eyes to fresh concepts. It challenged me to try out simple tools and techniques (related to living, not just drinking or abstaining) that were new to me.
Doing 30 days of abs is not a magic bullet, though. It didn’t magically erase the challenges I face in living sensibly with alcohol. It provided the foundation, though.
Worth noting about doing a 30:
- We’re not all geared to jumping immediately into a 30
- It’s smart to plan ahead: What kinds of tools, activities, alternatives and contingencies are going to be used during a 30?
- Shorter or longer abs are great, too. (I’ve done a couple 30s, a 110, and a 99% abs — 361/365 days — year.)
- Doing a 30 has the potential to bring cool gifts along with the challenges.
- It’s OK to admit that we’re not yet ready to jump into a 30 even if it sounds like a good idea. We may be in an early stage of preparing to change. It’s important to examine whatever ambivalence we may be feeling, and work with it and through it.
- When we’re not yet ready to jump into a 30, we can prepare for it by charting, reducing harm, and increasing the frequency of DAFT days.
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