20th February 2024

Psychological treatment

Psychosocial interventions are the 1st line intervention recommended by NICE, and this is often in the form of brief intervention. A brief intervention aims to guide patients through the impact of alcohol use and setting goals to reduce their alcohol intake. This is usually undertaken at a primary care level but can be done while a patient is an inpatient. The critical part of this intervention is allowing the patient to acknowledge the harm of drinking, identifying their barriers to change and setting realistic goals for change. 

Patients should also be directed towards community networks or self-help groups, including Alcoholics Anonymous and SMART Recovery, which can help with the process. Other psychological therapies, including cognitive behavioural therapy, environmental-based therapy and motivational interviewing, have been shown to impact reducing alcohol use positively.