New technique to help heavy drinkers reduce alcohol intake
Researchers have developed a new computer-based approach which they claim could help heavy drinkers lower their alcohol consumption.
November 28, 2012 / 15:28 IST
Researchers have developed a new computer-based approach which they claim could help heavy drinkers lower their alcohol consumption. Researchers at the University of Liverpool found that the habit of consuming alcohol can be interrupted when people practise methods of restraint whenever they see images of alcoholic drinks.
The team developed a computer test that required participants to press particular buttons when an image of alcohol or soft drink appeared on screen. They were asked to perform this task at speed, but when they heard a tone sound they were expected to stop immediately.In one group the tone was presented at the same time as alcohol pictures appeared on screen, and in another group the tone was not matched up to images of alcoholic drinks.Following the task, participants were given the option of drinking beer.Researchers found that participants who learned to exercise restraint when alcohol images were shown subsequently drank less beer than the control groups that did not practise the same method. The team aims to develop the computer intervention for online use as part of a wider Medical Research Council (MRC) funded project on computerised interventions to boost self-control in heavy drinkers."We wanted to investigate whether a person could learn to apply self-control automatically, in the hope that this might override the ingrained habit of drinking alcohol," Professor Matt Field, from the University's Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, said."We found that if participants repeatedly exercised self-control in response to images of alcoholic drinks, they drank less alcohol when the opportunity was later offered to them in the laboratory," Field said in a statement. "We hope to develop this computer intervention to see whether people can use the intervention, outside of the laboratory environment, in their daily lives. This may take the form of an online activity to support those people who want to reduce their intake of alcohol," Field said.The research was published in the journal Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology. Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
