New hope for young people who drink to mask negative feelings

Researchers at UNSW are conducting the first ever trial of a brief online intervention to treat combined depression and alcohol misuse in young people.

The DEAL project is modelled on existing e-health interventions, but while other online treatments target either substance use or depression this is the first to address both conditions together in a program specifically designed for young people aged 18-25.

Study leader Mark Deady, a doctoral candidate at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, based at UNSW, said that drinking to reduce negative emotions is a powerful predictor of heavy and problematic drinking in young people but that few of them received any form of traditional care.

“We are hoping that the DEAL project will bridge that gap and because it is online, it is easy to access and it requires minimum time commitment from participants.”

If you are aged between 18-25 and wish to take part in the DEAL project, you can apply online at http://dealproject.org.au/

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