Reach for the app, not the bottle

A DEAKIN University behaviour-change expert is calling on individuals undertaking FebFast to consider reasons they hit the bottle, suggesting a phone app could cultivate positive changes to drinking habits long-term.

Associate Professor Petra Staiger, from Deakin’s school of psychology, said initiatives such as FebFast were great for raising awareness about the harms of excessive drinking, however in order to promote health improvements long-term, other strategies must be used to break the alcohol consumption cycle.

“Going back to old drinking habits after a month of fasting is not what FebFast is about,” Associate Professor Staiger said.

“FebFast creates a circuit breaker in the cycle of habitual drinking, and gives us time to reflect on how we’re using alcohol.”

While taking a month off from booze on an annual rotation is a step in the right direction, Associate Professor Staiger said people who drink on a regular basis should be open to exploring alternative coping strategies, particularly those who use alcohol to manage stress, conflict or social pressure.

The “ReplaceIt” app, which acts as a virtual “pocket therapist”, was developed by Associate Professor Staiger and her team using a highly effective method employed in face-to-face therapy to change habits.

The app was piloted last year and saw positive results.

“Some people who are drinking to cope with stress or conflict need more support, and that’s where an app like ReplaceIt can be really valuable.

It helps address the underlying issues, as well as work towards changing habits in the long-term,” she
said.

According to the 2016 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, alcohol was the most commonly mentioned as causing the most drug-related deaths in 2016 at 35 per cent, higher than tobacco (24 percent).

Associate Professor Staiger and her team are currently undertaking a systematic review of all the apps available to help people cut back their drinking, quit drugs or stop smoking.

Full results are expected to be published later this year, but Associate Professor Staiger said initial findings have revealed less than half of the apps were effective, with many being “overly complicated” and not addressing the coping aspect of drinking.