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Voices of Temporary Sobriety – A Diary Study of an Alcohol-Free Month in Hungary

2020; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 55; Issue: 5 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/10826084.2019.1705861

1532-2491

Eszter Pados, Asztrik Kovács, Dániel Kiss, Szilvia Kassai, Máté Kapitány‐Fövény, Ferenc Dávid, Szilvia Karsai, András Terebessy, Zsolt Demetrovics, Mark D. Griffiths, József Rácz,

Homelessness and Social Issues

Background: Temporary abstinence from alcohol as a challenge could support self-knowledge, self-care, and health consciousness in several ways. Objectives: The present study explored Dry November participants' personal experiences and coping strategies during a one-month abstinence period. The research is embedded in the Hungarian context of drinking habits, culture, society, and alcohol policy. Methods: This qualitative study comprised the thematic analysis of 23 participants' diaries, reported twice a week for 30 days (in November 2017), to identify and understand the common experiences of temporary sobriety. Results: Three main themes emerged from the analysis: challenge, community, and relationship toward alcohol and abstinence. Results showed that there are no categorical differences between successful and non-successful participants. Conclusions: The present research demonstrated that during the challenge, rather than simply saying 'no' to alcohol, participants utilized other refusal strategies to avoid social confrontation.