abstention vs self-denial

abstention and self-denial both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
abstention	Yes	No	No	No
self-denial	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, self-denial is a hypernym of abstention; that is, self-denial is a word with a broader meaning than abstention:

Other hypernyms of abstention include self-discipline.

abstention (noun)	self-denial (noun)
the trait of abstaining (especially from alcohol)	the act of denying yourself; controlling your impulses
	renunciation of your own interests in favor of the interests of others
	the trait of practicing self discipline