Sober Living Chicago
In any facet of life where people need support, a clever developer somewhere has made an app to help them. Ever since Apple’s 2009 “There’s An App for That” campaign, it seems developers have gone overboard making apps for everything from helping you find the nearest restaurant to avoiding creepy clowns. (Seriously. There’s an app for that.)
As silly as some of them may seem, mobile apps can also be a great tool for support in recovery. Recovery from addiction requires a lot of support, oftentimes when we least expect it. Triggers are around us everywhere. Highway exits on the road, songs on the radio, people all around us pushing our buttons. Triggers can catch us suddenly and by surprise.
We might be unsuspecting, but we don’t have to be unprepared. Here are four mobile apps to help you in recovery. Load these apps on your smartphone to take them with you on the go. Use them at home, and access them anytime you need a little (or a lot) of extra support.
1. SoberTool
Platform: iOS and Android
Price: Free
SoberTool uses proven techniques to help you stay sober by providing immediate support when you need it. It helps train you to effectively use coping skills in daily life. SoberTool increases motivation by counting the days you’ve been sober and also calculating the money you’ve saved. Relapse prevention support is provided through:
- Rewards for the time you have stayed sober
- Daily motivational messages
- A search engine attuned to recovery needs. Type in a single word to describe your current feelings. It will lead you to solutions to help cope with those feelings and avoid relapse.
- A tool to deal with cravings. Answer simple questions and follow prompts to find a reading to help you in the present moment.
- A supportive and welcoming community. You are never alone with SoberTool. Anonymously share and receive support from others on its community forum.
SoberTool was developed by a Harvard-educated Licensed Chemical Dependency and Certified Alcoholism Counselor, who is also 27 years sober, along with a team from The Ohio State University.
2. Sober Grid
Platform: iOS and Android
Price: Free
Sober Grid offers a community of peer support through people focused on recovery. People join Sober Grid to access sober support and to help others. Sober Grid features a “Burning Desire” button you can use to let other sober people know you need help. “The Grid” is a GPS locator that helps you find other sober people nearby. It’s an excellent tool for travel and for connecting with other people in your area for support. Sober Grid also features a global newsfeed (think Facebook) where people can communicate and share posts with others.
3. Squirrel Recovery
Platform: Android
Price: Free
Squirrel Recovery Addiction App is a way to set up a recovery circle with a group of sober support people of your choosing. Your recovery circle can include 10 people. You can be proactive by programming the app to check in with you at predetermined times when you are likely to use. At these trigger times, the app asks you questions about your mood. People in your recovery circle see your answers and can respond with support and encouragement when you need it most. If you need immediate help, you can press a “Panic” button. Squirrel Recovery also keeps track of sober days, gives “coins” for milestones, and sends you motivational quotes.
4. recoveryBox
Platform: iOS
Price: $1.99
It is normal to experience sudden urges and triggers in recovery. The trick is learning how to recognize and manage them. Of course, there’s an app for that, too. By tracking and analyzing your daily behaviors, the recoveryBox app helps you identify issues and situations that are potentially dangerous to recovery.
Accountability is the focus with recoveryBox, an iOS app that uses green, yellow, and red lights as visual indicators of how well your actions are aligned with recovery goals. You track your daily life activities on a log. You get a green light and cyber high-five (“Way to go!”) for activities that support your recovery. You are cautioned with a yellow light for “Warning” behaviors, and a red light for troublesome “Acting out” actions. Your log is saved and you can email or text it to your accountability partner or counselor to increase your accountability and receive valuable feedback.
If you are looking for a sober living environment to further support and encourage you on your path to recovery, contact us. We help people rebuild their lives and create pathways to sober living.