This exercise is designed to help you experience some of the feelings/thoughts that individuals with addictive disorders experience when they quit their drug or behavior of choice. This exercise requires that you give up a substance (e.g., nicotine, caffeine, energy drinks, alcohol, etc.) or a behavior (e.g., Internet use, Facebook, eating sweets, playing video/computer games, watching television, cell-phone usage, etc.) for a period of 5 weeks. (a) write a letter to yourself summarizing your experience throughout the 5 weeks AND (b) keep an abstinence log of your experiences. Letter to yourself – This letter is geared to assist you in realizing the consequences of a repetitive behavior, understanding the withdrawal symptomology associated with regular engagement in the behavior and how the behavior aids in self-medicating underlying issues. It will also allow the student to recognize and identify the precipitating factors (triggers) associated with the behavior while learning effective coping skills to manage and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The student will increase self-awareness as they journey through this exercise.
An abstinence log – This log will describe your feelings and reactions, especially focusing on times you “lapse” or experience temptation. It is especially important to indicate times when it was both difficult and easy to abstain, as well as those specific circumstances during which you “slipped” (birthdays, holidays, and weekends seem especially difficult). Although daily entries into the log are not required, daily entries have been reported as most helpful by previous students. The log needs to be computer generated and should have a minimum of three entries per week. There will be a minimum of fifteen entries in all.
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