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Australians have been drinking alcohol since rum arrived with the First Fleet and, at last count in 2023, more than a third of us were drinking every week. For good or ill, much of Australia’s culture and society revolves around drinking. As Deakin’s Dr Petra Staiger explains, drinking above the recommended guidelines can lead to unintended consequences.
So, what motivates people to drink alcohol? Dr Petra Staiger has conducted research in the area of alcohol use for over 30 years and knows the ins and outs of alcohol research more intimately than most.
Dr Staiger explains, ‘People are often motivated to drink in social settings when they are in their 20’s as “everyone else is drinking”, so it feels like the social norm. Others use alcohol as a social tool, especially if they feel a bit nervous. Others who have issues with their mental health or have experienced trauma might drink to manage these feelings.’
She also says that drinking within health guidelines – 10 standard drinks per week with two non-drinking days a week and generally no more than two standard drinks in a single day – is recommended, however, exceeding that limit on a regular basis can have negative impacts on mental and physical wellbeing.
When drinking becomes a problem, there are two typical presentations: one is binge drinking (which usually occurs on weekends during social events), and the other is alcohol reliance or dependence (when someone identifies that alcohol makes them ‘feel better’, which prompts them to drink daily and more than intended).
‘One more won’t hurt’ is a common phrase when it comes to drinking alcohol. However, research has shown that drinking to intoxication does negatively impact the brain and our cognitive processes.
When drinking becomes problematic, it might be time to quit or drink less. Dr Staiger’s research revolves around breaking the habits of drinking – and modern digital tools can be very effective in doing so.
With Dr Staiger’s help, let’s take a closer look at some ways to quit drinking alcohol, with and without the aid of digital tools.
According to Dr Staiger, drinking can be tough to shake when it becomes habitual.
‘Habit formation is exactly how it sounds – it’s a repeated association with a feeling and a behaviour,’ Dr Staiger says. ‘If every single time you did a complex behaviour you had to think through all the steps, that would be very complicated. When you drive to work, if you’ve done it repeatedly, you’re on automatic pilot. Drinking can be reinforced through this automatic pilot process where we don’t even think about it, but it’s five o’clock and we’re like, “oh, okay, I’ll go into the fridge and have a drink.” It feels automatic, rather than a cognitive decision. . It’s an association and a habit and it can drive that behaviour.’ The good news is that, by understanding the research on habit formation, we can now help people unlearn these habits.
Quitting alcohol is certainly possible for habitual drinkers – it’s just about breaking those habits. It’s important to note, though, that alcohol dependence requires a different approach, and dependent drinkers (those who are drinking every day and experiencing alcohol cravings or withdrawal when they stop drinking) looking for a way to quit drinking alcohol should first seek medical assistance.
‘Many factors are involved in assessing whether someone is a dependent drinker, but there are some signs to look out for. Red flags include drinking in the morning, drinking to excess (for example, consuming a bottle a day of wine or a half a bottle of scotch a day), craving alcohol most days, or having friends or family express concern about the person’s drinking,’ Dr Staiger says. ‘If you’re drinking that much, and you stop suddenly, you risk going into withdrawal, and this can have very significant health effects. So, if you are drinking most days and you’re drinking at volume, then you must speak to your GP or get some professional assistance to help you quit.’
Choosing to stop habitual drinking is a personal decision – but the experts say that there are some clear benefits of quitting alcohol for those who do make the choice: improved mood, better sleep, more energy, and improved long-term health prospects are just a few of the things that happen to your body when you quit drinking alcohol.
With those benefits in mind – how can you then quit drinking alcohol? Let’s take a look at some techniques and methods.
As Dr Staiger has suggested, quitting alcohol is about breaking the habits that encourage it – and she recommends three strategies to do so.
Taking initiative and researching how you can make positive health decisions is a great, but following the advice of healthcare professionals is important. The benefits of seeing a GP when quitting alcohol are that they can tailor any advice to your body and assess and monitor your overall physical and mental health.
And while doctors are especially important for those with physical alcohol dependence, a GP can still assist people who drink habitually. They can recommend methods for quitting, provide resources for support services, and offer feedback with regular check-ups.
Alcohol treatment programs might seem more suited to those with alcohol dependence, but they can help all drinkers quit alcohol.
Counselling (whether through a psychologist, social worker or other trained alcohol counsellors like DirectLine) is an effective method that has helped many people quit drinking alcohol. It’s especially recommended for people who find talking and sharing their goals helpful.
Other treatment program options include group therapy and peer support, which can be helpful in providing emotional help and practical advice. Examples include Alcoholics Anonymous and SMART Recovery.
As Dr Staiger’s research suggests, digital tools like apps can be handy partners to help people on the road to quitting alcohol.
‘What is useful with digital apps is that they’re with you, and they can send you little reminders,’ Dr Staiger says. ‘Those reminders, the notifications, little strategies that pop up, that’s where digital tools are just brilliant, because habits are only ever changed and broken with practice and reminders and keeping it front of mind.’
So, which apps are the best for quitting alcohol, then? As Dr Staiger explains, the most effective apps share some common features.
‘In any app, I always look for things like, for example, do they have the basic fundamental things which are effective in reducing drinking? Which is having a goal, setting a limit, monitoring and reviewing.’
One of Dr Staiger’s favourites – and one of the best free apps for quitting alcohol – is called Daybreak from Hello Sunday Morning. Daybreak includes resources from others who have quit drinking, inspiring stories, drinking trackers and – importantly – shares effective, habit-breaking ways to quit drinking alcohol.
There are all sorts of reasons to quit drinking – like improved physical or mental health, saving money, or increasing energy, focus and clarity. The key, as Dr Staiger has explained, is in breaking the habits which enable drinking.
And, while it’s not always easy to break those habits, having access to free digital tools and understanding habit-breaking techniques can make the journey easier.
When combined with medical advice from a GP, these can be powerful tools for habitual drinkers looking for ways to quit alcohol.
Remember, if you are concerned about your drinking and want to quit alcohol, there are people ready to help and a number of resources available to you.
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Footnotes:
*Staiger, P.K., & Liknaitzky, P. (2020). An alternative goal-setting technique for addictive behaviour interventions: The Chronos approach. Clinical Psychologist, https://doi.org/10.1111/cp.12226.
