Can abstaining for one month really make a difference?

22 August 2026

Participating in the Dutch alcohol challenge 'No Thanks' has an impact on participants, even twelve months later. This is shown by a study conducted by A. Esselink and colleagues, published in Psychology and Health.

In this longitudinal study, data were used from 2,128 participants in NoThanks 2023. They completed questionnaires at four points in time: before the alcohol break, immediately after it, and at the six-month and twelve-month marks.

The results show that participants:
• gained more confidence in their ability to refuse alcohol (self-efficacy);
• were less likely to reach for alcohol automatically;
• reported less craving for alcohol after 12 months;
• ultimately drank less alcohol.

A key finding is that successfully completing the entire alcohol break matters. Improvements in self-efficacy and reductions in alcohol consumption were significantly greater among those who actually finished the challenge compared to participants who consumed alcohol at some point during the month.

Esselink, A. Rozema, A.D., Bovens, R.H.L.M. et al. Longer-term changes in drinking behaviour after an alcohol abstinence challenge: a longitudinal study. Psychology & Health (2026).
https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2026.2720087

Source: tandfonline.

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