What Are the Best New Apps For Addiction Recovery?

Addiction recovery is a challenging journey that requires consistent support from friends, family, and loved ones, as well as motivation and ample resources. Numerous apps are available on both Android and Apple platforms designed to assist individuals in their path to sobriety. These apps offer various features, from tracking progress and providing educational resources to connecting users with support groups and professionals.

Key Takeaways

What Are Smartphone Apps?

Smartphone apps or applications are software programs for mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. These apps can be obtained from app stores like the Google Play Store for Android devices and Apple Store for Apple devices. They have different uses: entertainment, social interaction, work, and health-related. Every app is created for a particular purpose, for instance, to send messages, play games, handle finances, monitor fitness goals, or even help with addiction treatment. Smartphone applications are now considered essential tools in people’s lives since they offer simple and efficient interfaces that allow users to solve problems and get services with just a few touches on the screen.

Smartphone apps promise to enhance the reach of evidence-based interventions (cognitive behavior therapy, contingency management, and therapeutic education system) for populations with substance use disorders, with minimal disruption to health systems. However, further studies are needed to evaluate smartphone apps targeting alcohol and illicit substances systematically. Most Americans now own smartphones (90%), which are especially popular among younger adults aged 18 to 29. Reports have estimated the availability of over 318,000 mobile health apps in 2017 and health-related apps by approximately half of all smartphone users in 2018. Considering existing barriers to formal treatment for SUDs, including perceived stigma, cost, and limited treatment slots, smartphone apps are increasingly utilized by individuals excluded from care to reduce alcohol and illicit substance use.

Top Apps for Addiction Recovery

Benefits of Using Apps for Addiction Recovery

• Accessibility: These apps provide support and resources that can be accessed anytime, anywhere, ensuring continuous support.
• Privacy: Users can seek help and track their progress discreetly.
• Community Support: Many apps offer community features that connect users with others on a similar journey, fostering a sense of belonging and mutual encouragement.
• Professional Guidance: Some apps provide access to professionals and evidence-based resources crucial for effective recovery.

Conclusion

The journey to recovery from addiction is personal and complex, but with the right tools, it becomes more manageable. The apps mentioned in this article are designed to provide the necessary support, motivation, and resources to help individuals achieve and maintain sobriety. Whether you need community support, professional guidance, or tools to track your progress, an app can meet your needs and help you on your path to recovery.

Online app stores offer unprecedented opportunities to expand access to effective harm reduction and treatment approaches for individuals with SUDs. Further studies are needed to assess the impact of existing evidence-based apps described in this review. The popularity of online apps offer user-friendly and evidence-based apps that facilitate access to effective pharmacotherapies for SUDs, harm-reduction resources (e.g., naloxone and syringe exchange programs), and specialty addiction treatment programs (e.g., intensive outpatient programs and methadone maintenance programs).

FAQ:

Q: What are the best apps for addiction recovery?

A: The best apps for addiction recovery include Sober Time, I Am Sober, Sober Grid, Nomo, Pocket Rehab, WEconnect Recovery, MyRecovery, and SMART Recovery. These apps offer various features, such as progress tracking, support groups, motivational messages, and professional guidance.

Q: Are these apps available on both Android and Apple devices?

A: All the listed apps are available on Android and Apple devices, ensuring accessibility for many users.

Q: How do these apps support addiction recovery?

A: These apps support addiction recovery by providing tools for tracking sobriety, connecting with support groups, offering motivational messages, accessing educational resources, and connecting users with professionals for guidance and support.

Q: Can I use these apps privately?

A: These apps are designed to respect user privacy, allowing individuals to seek help and track their progress discreetly.

Q: What features do these apps offer?

A: The apps offer features such as sobriety tracking, daily pledges, community support, real-time peer support, motivational quotes, progress sharing with accountability partners, customizable recovery plans, and relapse prevention tools.

Q: Do these apps provide access to professional help?

A: Yes, several apps provide access to professional help, including real-time chat with professionals, access to cognitive-behavioral therapy tools, and other evidence-based resources.

Q: How do these apps help with relapse prevention?

A: These apps help relapse prevention by offering tools to manage cravings, track progress, connect with support networks, and provide motivational messages and educational resources to reinforce recovery goals.

Citations

Americans’ Use of Mobile Technology and Home Broadband – pewresearch.org | https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2024/01/31/americans-use-of-mobile-technology-and-home-broadband/.

The Best Addiction Apps for Recovery & Support – Addictionhelp.com | https://www.addictionhelp.com/recovery/support-apps/

Best Addiction Recovery Apps of 2024 – Choosingtherapy.com | https://www.choosingtherapy.com/addiction-recovery-apps/

Exploring Whether Addictions Counselors Recommend That Their Patients Use Websites, Smartphone Apps, or Other Digital Health Tools to Help Them in Their Recovery – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9253968/

Sober Apps: New Tools to Help Those in Recovery – getsmartaboutdrugs.gov | https://www.getsmartaboutdrugs.gov/news-statistics/2017/06/09/sober-apps-new-way-help-those-recovery

Nicki Lugo, CPC, LAC, LCADC, CCTS Executive Director

Nicki Lugo is currently employed as Clinical Director at Virtue Recovery Center in Las Vegas. Nicki is a licensed clinical professional counselor (CPC) in the state of Nevada and a licensed associate counselor (LAC) in the state of Arizona. She is also a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor (LCADC) in Nevada. Additionally, Nicki has specialized training in treating trauma and is a certified clinical trauma specialist (CCTS). Nicki has earned a Master of Science degree in Psychology with an emphasis in Behavioral Health from the University of Phoenix and a Master of Science in Professional Counseling from Grand Canyon University. Currently, Nicki is pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Counseling Education and Supervision at Grand Canyon University. Nicki’s research interests include the use of Positive Psychology interventions with dual diagnosis clients. Nicki hopes to contribute to the body of knowledge in treating substance use disorders. Nicki’s long-term career goals include advancing in leadership roles within Virtue Recovery Center which is a quickly growing substance use disorder treatment facility. She hopes that one day her research and advocacy will help to save the lives of those who have been affected by substance use. She likes to say that advocacy is her passion and leadership is her superpower.

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