ABSTRACT
Some moderation programs recommend being alcohol-free for 30 days. Faced with the concept of abstinence, most focus only on negative emotions such as anxiety, stress, depression, boredom, and anger. The range of emotions that people experience when they are chemically free often surprises them. Therapy should focus on the benefits. Many of clients also enjoy feeling more stable. When they are drinking, life can feel like sharp, jagged ups and downs while abstinence feels more like manageable, rolling waves. Abstinence allows people to gain clarity to see reality and identify changes they want to make. Maybe their relationship is stressed because of their partner’s anger concerning drinking. Therapy is for dealing with any issues from the past that are affecting people. In the early weeks of abstinence, many feel emotionally raw. A change in normal breathing can signify that we are experiencing negative emotions.
