Apps for Addiction Recovery

We use our smartphones to shop, count calories, track sleep, meditate, stay connected with loved ones and more – so why shouldn’t they help with recovery, too? Over the past several years, more and more mobile apps have been created to address the needs of people in recovery. Some apps make it easier to find meetings and/or support from others in recovery. Others are designed to help with triggers and relapse or to provide inspiration and motivation to maintain healthy habits.

While apps can’t and shouldn’t replace professional addiction treatment, they can be a smart tool in your recovery. For one, they can help prevent isolation and connect you with others who understand what you’re going through. Proponents say these apps are especially great for those who don’t have help or support groups nearby. According to CNET, the National Institutes of Health has awarded more than $11 million in grants to explore the role of social media in the prevention and treatment of addiction.

Both the App Store and Google Play have a slew of social apps that aim to help people in recovery – but don’t download one without asking your addiction counselor or healthcare professional. You’ll want to vet the app together to determine whether it aligns with your specific stage of recovery and recovery goals. You might even be able to use them together to set goals and track progress.

Here is a sampling of a few popular recovery apps to evaluate. Ask your addiction specialist or recovery peers to recommend others that have worked for them.

• SoberTool: This app has a sobriety counter that calculates days clean and sober as well as how much money you saved. It also offers daily motivational messages, a community forum and process to avoid relapse. 
• recoveryBox: This app tracks daily life activities to identify and break unhelpful habits that may impact recovery. Daily activities are broken down into green, amber and red lights. 
• Sober Grid: This app helps users build a strong recovery network by connecting them with other nearby sober users. It also provides a function so you can reach out for help if you’re showing signs of relapse. 
• Pocket Rehab: This app connects you with others in recovery – both online and in person. It offers a journal feature to track events and feelings and includes a “lifeline” to text/talk/video chat with other members of the community who are online and ready to help. 
• I Am Sober: This app allows users to create daily pledges to keep them honest and remind them why they are sober. It also provides daily motivation to reinforce recovery and sobriety. 

Cutting Edge Holistic Rehab
At Complete Harmony, we encourage the use of many different cutting-edge techniques to help clients heal the mind, body and spirit. To learn more about our treatment center and our approach to addiction recovery, call today: 866-930-4673.

Link Between Mindfulness and Emotional Regulation

Learning to be more mindful – or paying attention on purpose without judgement – has been found to be a vital tool in emotional control. This is because mindfulness can help prevent you from simply reacting without considering any consequences.

"Being aware of physical sensations, thoughts and emotions – both pleasant and unpleasant –can help us choose how to respond, rather than simply react," Dr. Timothy Riley, an assistant professor in the family and community medicine department at Penn State Health, said in a news release.

This is an especially helpful skill for people in recovery, who need to ride out cravings and gain greater control of negative emotions.

Riley offered an example of how mindfulness can help in an everyday situation: You see a cookie at Starbucks and want the cookie, he explained. Then you may become guilty for wanting the cookie. If you're mindful, however, you notice the cookie and are aware of your emotional response – and you can let it be without judgment, Riley added.

"It puts you in this observer stance where we can witness what is happening without getting wrapped up in it," he said. "It gives you a bit of space."

In other words, being mindful allows us to sit back and think whether or not it’s wise to buy the cookie and why we really want the cookie. Is it because of hunger or are you looking to fill another void? It also helps quell your inner child, who may feel like screaming, yelling, crying or throwing a fit because she can't have that cookie.

This might seem simple but being more mindful is something we all need to work on daily. Luckily, a little bit of practice goes a long way.

Helping You Become More Mindful in Recovery
Meditation is a great way to strengthen your mindfulness muscle so you’ll find it much easier to become present throughout the day. At Complete Harmony, we encourage the use of many different cutting-edge techniques to help clients heal the mind, body and spirit, including mediation. To learn more about our treatment center and our approach to addiction recovery, call today: 866-930-4673.