The power of suggestion can be incredibly strong and few of us are immune to it. A recent study* found that social media comments on alcohol ads such as Facebook can boost the desire to drink in young people.
Research found that pro-drinking comments from online users on alcohol ads were 3.5 times more likely to be shared or liked. On the other end of the spectrum, negative comments about drinking led to a decreased desire to drink. What’s most interesting to researchers is the types of comments that were made either for or against alcohol. Heavy drinkers and alcoholics are most at risk with advertising, particularly when other social media users appear to be cheering them on.
At the Kiloby Center, we don’t teach willpower or what we call “holding back the dam” when it comes to alcoholism, we use a trauma-first approach to dig deep into why a client feels compelled to drink. This method gets clients out of their heads and into their bodies to feel the emotions and sensations the mind is creating with stories about the desire to use. When we disassociate the thoughts of wanting a drink, the trigger is broken and clients no longer feel the need to use.
For more information on our groundbreaking work, call 866-545-6295 and speak to one of our specialists.
*Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs via sciencedaily.com
