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Today, there are apps available to assist with every aspect of life, including your mental health. Mobile apps make it possible to track symptoms and get support for many issues, including depression and bipolar disorder.
Habit-building and addiction recovery applications are becoming increasingly popular. Using technology for rehab could help prevent relapse and promote sober living. But do they deliver on their promises? Can AI cure addiction? Read on to get the full story on apps for addiction and mental health tracking.
Using Technology to Support Recovery
In recent years, we’ve seen many advances in rehab centers and the way they engage with their clients. Addiction apps are one of the most interesting improvements, as they provide a way for people to stay in touch with their therapists and engage in self-care.
Addiction is a lifelong disease that requires ongoing care to prevent relapse. By reducing the effort required to manage addiction, apps may help lower the likelihood of relapse. Reviews of popular apps show anecdotal success, and scientific studies confirm the benefits as well. A recent health policy investigation published in JAMA Network Open noted that virtual peer recovery support programs and other digital health technologies are being used by a growing number of providers to help remove barriers to accessing addiction treatment.
Benefits of Addiction Apps
Apps for addiction offer numerous benefits, including:
- Lower barriers to access. Approximately 85% of Americans own smartphones, according to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center. As a result, mental health apps are widely accessible. Addiction apps are especially beneficial for those who live in remote and rural areas that lack addiction support services.
- Increased care capacity. Smartphone applications can allow clients to check in remotely and access self-care resources, enabling providers to work with a greater number of people.
- Ease of use. Addiction recovery apps allow you to easily check in or log your progress at home or while on the go. Some sync with smartwatches to work as wearable therapeutics, giving you access to addiction support right on your wrist.
- Increased self-awareness. Many addiction apps encourage you to record your thoughts and feelings daily. This keeps you more in tune with your feelings and can help you identify triggers that threaten your sobriety.
- Improved motivation. General habit-forming apps such as Habitica include gamified features to help users stick to positive behaviors for a long time. By making habit-building fun, these apps can encourage people to make good choices even when their motivation is waning.
- Simple historical tracking. Through tracking and charting your daily entries, addiction recovery apps allow you to spot trends over time. You can use the information to assess how well your aftercare plan is working.
- Streamlined communication with counselors. If you ever need a substance abuse relapse assessment, you can share your data with your counselor. The information can jump-start the treatment process by giving your counselor insights into how your recovery progressed.
Popular Mental Health Tracking Apps
Popular mental health tracking apps with features beneficial for recovery include:
- Calm. This app walks you through complete guided meditations in as little as 10 minutes. Seven- to 21-day programs for beginner to advanced users allow you to customize the experience. For addiction recovery, the Breaking Habits guided meditation series is especially beneficial. The app also features programs for stress management and calming anxiety.
- Headspace. Another app that focuses on meditation, Headspace aims to help people manage stress and anxiety more effectively. It uses mindfulness, meditation and exercise to promote better mental health.
- Moodpath. This daily check-in app asks you a series of questions to assess your mental well-being. Every 2 weeks, it provides a summary of your results. The data can help you assess if symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress that could contribute to a relapse are under control.
- CBT-I Coach. Getting enough rest is important for long-term mental health, especially during recovery. Experts at the VA, Department of Defense and Stanford University created the CBT-I Coach application for those dealing with sleep problems. Its structured program uses cognitive behavioral techniques to help improve sleep.
- Youper. This AI-powered application includes a mood journal and a tracker, as well as an AI chatbot that provides emotional support at any time of day. The bot is designed to have short conversations about mental health topics. It also detects signs of crisis and encourages you to seek help when needed.
- Inner Hour. This app guides you through engaging activities to help you develop coping skills. For those in recovery, the content assists with anger and stress management. It also covers mindfulness and gratitude to enable you to begin to truly enjoy sober living.
Top Apps Designed Specifically for Recovery
In addition to general mental health apps, there are many applications expressly designed for addiction, including:
- Simple DBT Skills Diary Card. One of the many addiction apps that complement specific types of therapy, this app focuses on dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Each day, the app presents one DBT skill for users to complete. The app uses daily notifications to remind users to log in. Users can customize their tracking data and integrate progress from in-person DBT classes.
- Nomo. The social focus of this app can be useful for individuals who have supportive family members and friends. Nomo allows users to track their progress, share streaks and milestones, calculate how much money their sobriety has saved them and log their thoughts and feelings. The app can be used by individuals in recovery and those supporting someone on their recovery journey.
- Sober Time. This app helps you celebrate your progress by counting the seconds, minutes, hours and days in real time. A quick glance can give you positive reinforcement and encourage you to keep going. Inspirational daily messages and a cost-savings calculator provide additional motivation. The app also tracks relapses and lets you record triggers.
- LetGOH. One of the best addiction apps for those in a 12-step program, this application features inventory lists and daily progress tracking. Sponsorship aids and guided meditations are also among its features.
- WEconnect. While this application is designed for use alongside a recovery program, it has some helpful stand-alone features too. Users can schedule self-care or support routines, track their progress and set rewards for achieving certain milestones. The app also has a chat feature where users can connect with peer specialists for mental health support.
- Recovery Box. Another application aimed at those following 12-step programs, Recovery Box offers digital versions of tools from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. In addition to inventories and tracking tools, the app features recovery stories and readings. You can get access to an in-app sponsor and chat with other users.
- Sober Grid. Many people in recovery struggle to rebuild a supportive social network. This app addresses the problem by providing a social networking platform for recovering addicts and alcoholics. You can use it to make friends, ask for tips and share your thoughts and feelings in a safe environment.
- Quitzilla. This versatile application is aimed at individuals who are looking to quit drinking alcohol, but it can also be used to beat other addictions or bad habits. It includes a savings tracker, sobriety timer, motivational content, a diary and some basic social features.
Incorporating Apps Into Your Recovery
Despite their many benefits, addiction apps are just one component of the recovery journey. Staying clean requires hard work and dedication. Mental health and recovery apps support your efforts, but they’re not a cure for addiction.
Roughly 40% to 60% of those who complete drug addiction rehab relapse, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. A robust aftercare plan following inpatient or outpatient rehab can help reduce your risk of becoming a statistic. Addiction apps can play a role in the plan, but you shouldn’t rely solely on them. A combination of ongoing therapy and community support is the key to successful recovery. You should also develop a crisis plan for friends and family to execute if you do relapse.
If you feel you’re in danger of relapsing, you don’t have to face it alone. Our team of counselors is standing by to support and encourage you 24-7. Contact us today for help on your recovery journey.
