The study by researchers at Linköping University has shown that a digital support tool on a smartphone can help individuals struggling to reduce their consumption to seek help online through these means.

“At the beginning of the study, the participants said it was very important for them to reduce their alcohol consumption. But most said they didn’t know how to do it,” said Marcus Bendtsen, an associate professor at the university.

The lead of the study added that those who took part in the study and got access to digital support felt more self-assured about how they could go about actually changing their behaviour.

Bendtsen believes that there is too little discussion about concrete methods of creating long-lasting change, warning that messages and communicating the risks of various behaviours aren’t enough.

In Sweden, the state regulates the sale of alcohol, and the tax on alcohol is relatively high. Despite this, alcohol consumption has remained at...