Media release – Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, 25 November 2024

New Tasmanian campaign about alcohol and mental health – Be Nice to Brain

Be Nice to Brain is a Tasmanian-wide digital campaign sharing the latest evidence-based information about the effect alcohol can have on your mental health and wellbeing. The campaign has been funded and endorsed by the Tasmanian Government.

The campaign will run until mid-2026 across social media and a variety of digital channels and is underpinned by the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Australian Guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol.

A survey* of Tasmanians aged 18 and over found that:

  • 1 in 3 people don’t know there’s a link between alcohol and mental health.
  • 1 in 4 want to cut back on their drinking, with the number rising to 1 in 3 for people aged between 25-44.
  • Almost 1 in 10 people have seven or more standard drinks on a single occasion.

Quotes attributable to Caterina Giorgi, CEO of FARE:

“There are many people who are unaware of the link between alcohol and mental health. This campaign aims to overcome this information gap.

“We know that cutting back or cutting out alcohol can improve our sleep, mood, energy levels and reduce feelings of stress and worry.

“We also know that over time, drinking alcohol can make feelings of low mood, anxiety and stress worse, which is why we provide tips and strategies on making changes, as part of the campaign.”

“In developing the campaign we worked with people who have a lived experience of alcohol use and mental health concerns, local community organisations and health professionals.

Key campaign messages:

  • Cutting back or cutting out alcohol can improve our mood and energy and reduce feelings of stress and worry.
  • Good quality sleep supports better mental health, helping with mood, memory and coping.  Drinking alcohol, even in small amounts, can upset our normal sleep cycle.
  • We all sometimes feel worried, stressed or sad. Limiting the amount you drink can help to better manage these kinds of everyday worries.
  • Over time, drinking alcohol can make feelings of low mood, anxiety and stress worse.
  • If you drink alcohol, have no more than four standard drinks on any day and no more than ten in a week. The less you drink the better you can feel.

*YouGov surveyed 850 Tasmanians over 18 years of age in December 2023, using an online questionnaire. The sample was post weighted using the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics population estimates of age and gender, and the YouGov 2023 referendum predictions which were within 1% of the final outcome. The survey collected information on knowledge of the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Australian Alcohol Guidelines health risks from drinking alcohol, including during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, awareness of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and its characteristics and respondents’ alcohol use. It also tested potential campaign messages.