People who drink alcohol to feel good – but end up miserable and embarrassed – are being targeted by a new QUT study that is offering free phone counselling to drinkers all over Australia.
The 18-month research trial is studying new motivational treatments for people who are unhappy about their drinking.
Researcher Dr Jennifer Connolly said recent results from a national poll released by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education highlighted how expectations of alcohol are not matching up with reality.
“Fifty-six per cent of drinkers expected to feel happy, but only 28 per cent did. Only five per cent expected to feel sick, yet 17 per cent did.”
Dr Connolly said this gap between expectation and reality is because people focus on the immediate effects of alcohol rather than the ones that come later.
“The positive effects of alcohol tend to be more immediate – at first, drinking makes people more relaxed and sociable – and that is what they remember when they are deciding to have a drink,” she said.
“The negative consequences – feeling bad, running out of money, making a fool of yourself –all come later. The more immediate effects swamp our attention—they seem more powerful and certain.
“We are helping people deal with this problem, so they don’t have to keep waking up feeling bad about last night’s drinking. We are offering free phone-based treatment for anyone who is having 28 drinks a week or more, and wants to think about whether to make a change.
“We will talk to people about their experiences with alcohol and how they feel about them.”
The QUT project, which is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council, is being run by a research team from QUT’s Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation led by Professor David Kavanagh.
Over the next 18 months, the researchers aim to help at least 480 people aged 18 and over to deal with their drinking.
They will each be given at least two free phone sessions with a psychologist, and complete drinking checkups every few months over the next year so they can see how they are going.
People interested in the study can call 1300 300 164, email yourcall@qut.edu.au or click here.
Media contacts:
- Mechelle McMahon, QUT media officer, 07 3138 9449 or media@qut.edu.au
- (After hours) Rose Trapnell, QUT media team leader, 0407 585 901
