Similar to other behavioral disorder apps on the market, many of the substance abuse apps focus on maintaining sobriety with the click of a button. Sobriety is a daily struggle and it can benefit from the immediate support the following apps provide – in conjunction with a clinical treatment team, of course.
SoberTool is a free app developed by a licensed drug and alcohol counselor. Its goal is simple: to stop a craving in its tracks. As a craving comes on, all you need to do is open the app and you’ll be provided with a positive message or affirmation to help you remember why you’re on the path to recovery. It counts days sober, so you can be reminded of your hard work every day. It also counts up the money you have saved by not succumbing to your cravings. This app is committed to changing “relapse thinking into recovery thinking;” you answer a few questions about your current state of mind and the app presents you with a message relevant to your current mental state. It’s a great option for people looking for a quick, no-frills way of supporting their recovery.
12-Steps Companion is one of the first apps on the market for substance abusers and brings the popular 12-step method to their fingertips. It’s $2.99 and allows AA members to bring the AA community everywhere they go. This app has everything you need as an AA member – a sobriety calculator, the entire text of the Big Book, daily prayers and promises, notes, and a contact database for national AA chapters and your own recovery contacts. You’ll have to shell out a few bucks for this app, but it literally brings the entire AA community to you wherever you are.
Field Guide to Life is the most expensive of the bunch at $7.99, but the price tag is worth it. This app is designed by a leading treatment provider, the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. The app is the winner of the White House Behavioral Health Patient Empowerment Challenge, so it’s gotta be good. This app is based on the web-based continuing care that Hazelden provides to each of its clients. This app has three sections, with each section serving as a guide to help navigate the recovery process. You can engage in daily guidance and inspiration, weekly sober challenges, and community support systems. There are also tools for tracking personal progress and relapse prevention tools. This app truly is what it says it is: an expert guide to staying sober.
If you need a little extra push to help you stay sober, some of these apps may be a good option. Always use these apps in conjunction with your clinical treatment team, but these apps are great for sobriety motivation on the go!
