Tuesday 24 May 2016 9:50 am

This brain train tool could help you drink less alcohol

Anyone who failed miserably at dry January, or any attempt to drink less thereafter, might want to give this free online tool a try.

It uses a brain-training technique, known as a "cognitive bias modification", to reduce an individual's unconscious preference for alcoholic drinks over non-alcoholic ones.

Users are tested for a bias towards alcohol based on how quickly they "push away" images of their favourite tipples compared to other pictures. If this is found to exist, they're encouraged to train their brain to be less drawn towards alcoholic drinks.

This is done by spending 15 minutes associating images of alcoholic drinks with the action of "pushing away" on a smartphone, tablet or keyboard, and associating non-alcoholic alternatives with the action of "pulling towards".

After four 15-minute sessions an individual will be re-tested, and many are likely to see a reduction in their preference for alcohol. This should lead to less impulsive drinking behaviour in their day-to-day lives.

A recent study found alcoholics who undertook just four 15-minute training sessions over four days saw a reduced preference for alcohol. They also had a 13 per cent lower relapse rate a year later, compared those who didn’t undergo the training. Other work also shows it can help heavy drinks who are considered "non-clinical".

“It used to be the case that changing the way you think about something required hours spent sitting on a psychologist’s couch, delving deep into your personal life and digging up painful childhood memories," Paul Dolan, a professor of behavioural science at the London School of Economics, and creator of the online tool, said.

"Thankfully, this is no longer the only option available. It has now been shown that the way we think can be altered with a handful of 15-minute training sessions, and not a psychologist in sight."

"And it is not just for treating automatic preferences for alcohol or fizzy drinks. Versions of this task are being used to treat symptoms of anxiety, depression and other disorders. The indication is that CBM allows people to have better control over their behaviour making it more likely that they will be happier overall."