High-risk drinking is very prevalent among Danes aged 55+. It poses a serious risk to health and independent living, burdening health care systems and family members. Measures to reduce high-risk alcohol use in this growing group at need are urgently needed. A recent small study from the US shows that text messaging reduces high-risk alcohol intake in older adults. The investigators will conduct a pilot study with the same intervention in Denmark, with adaptations to language and culture. The pilot study will investigate among Danish older adults whether text messaging is well-accepted by participants and feasible in terms of reducing 1) high-risk drinking and 2) commonly accompanying problems with daily functioning, social relationships, and mental and physical health. The pilot-trial will include n=60 adults aged 55-80 years who will receive alcohol-related text messages (within a secure app for data protection purposes) over 12 weeks. Assessments will include a baseline assessment and a post-assessment.

Inclusion Criteria:

• consumption of > 10 standard drinks á 12 gram ethanol per week (i.e., high-risk alcohol use defined by the Danish Health Authority) in the past four weeks
• desire to reduce drinking
• age 55 to 80 years
• mobile phone ownership and willingness to receive and respond to text messages
• fluency in Danish.

Exclusion Criteria:

• drinking more than 53 standard drinks per week in the last four weeks
• past 12 month alcohol withdrawal symptoms or lifetime history of serious withdrawal symptoms (e.g., seizures)
• score above 12 on the Short alcohol withdrawal scale; SAWS
• possible drug dependence (i.e., use of illegal drugs or psychotropic medication taken without prescription more than once a month)
• indication of serious psychiatric illness (lifetime diagnosis of psychosis or bipolar disorder, inpatient treatment or medication for these, recent suicidality)
• current alcohol/drug abuse treatment or a desire to start alcohol/drug abuse treatment during the study
• medical condition that requires abstinence from alcohol
• wish to achieve abstinence (applied to secure a focus on reduction)
• lack of understanding of study protocol or reading difficulty as evidenced by a score of less than 7 out of 10 on the consent form quiz.

Participants are informed in the study material that they are allocated to groups that receive different text messages. They receive no further information on the intervention groups.