Going through rehabilitation and recovery is no small feat, and with 1 in 10 Americans facing addiction at some point during their lives, chances are good that you or a loved one will have to work towards sobriety one day, if not right now. Living in a fast-paced world comes with many advantages, and we’re all used to convenience, so using technology to stay sober makes sense in today’s age. Whether you’re committed to a sober life or looking for ways to support a loved one as they’re in recovery, keep reading for ways to use technology to make staying sober easier.
Download a Sobriety App
We’ve all heard, “there’s an app for that!” and there truly is an app for everything – including sobriety. While picking up healthy habits like more exercise and mindfulness is key to a sober lifestyle, a variety of apps help utilize your downtime to stay committed to your health and sobriety. These apps are full of tips for recovery and ways to avoid relapse, and they notify you of how long you’ve been sober – down to the minute.
Journal on Your Phone
Most people, whether they achieved sobriety through going to group meetings, utilizing centers like The Meadows, New Directions, or Betty Ford, or achieved recovery on their own, they likely kept a journal of how they were feeling, why they wanted to be sober and other parts of their journey. By adding these thoughts to your smartphone or tablet, you’ve always got your journal close to you, and when you’re feeling doubtful or tempted, you can recall all your reasons by simply taking your phone out of your pocket.
Inspirational Alarms
When you’re just starting on your journey of sobriety, setting frequent alarms to encourage you and remind you of your progress is a great way to stay motivated. Set these alarms on your phone to go off as often as you want, every hour, every four hours, once a day, and beyond. You can change and tailor the alarms’ frequency and messages to where you are in your journey, but this method has helped tens of thousands of addicts in their recovery process.
Meditation Apps
While sobriety apps are essential, so are mindfulness apps during recovery. Mindfulness and its relaxation benefits are a tool that will not only help you deal with the stress of the recovery process – getting sober is hard – but it can also help to keep you grateful for all the good you have in your life. You can count on the fact that you will continue reaping the benefits of meditation decades beyond your recovery.
Online Support Groups
While an online support group likely won’t help you get through your addiction on your own, they’re a great way to hold yourself accountable through the process. Not only can you connect with other people that understand you, which is critical because addiction can feel isolating, but you can also ask questions you may not feel comfortable asking during an in-person meeting. Many people feel vulnerable in person, but the anonymity of the internet lets them express their true feelings and ask hard questions.
Therapy Online
Part of the recovery process for many addicts is working with a licensed therapist. Therapy benefits everyone, but when you’re struggling with addiction, working with a therapist specializing in addiction treatment can be life-changing and life-giving. Your therapist can help give you the right tools to overcome your addiction, which will serve you long after you get sober. Around a quarter of Americans are in therapy at any given time, so if you’re still holding on to a stigma about seeing a therapist, let it go and book an online consultation or appointment.
Choosing to get sober is yours alone, and it’s only you who can complete the process, but technology exists to make our lives easier, so using it during recovery will only help you. While putting pen to paper, coloring in an adult coloring book or even knitting are well-known habits that help people stay sober, technology has made a huge space for people seeking sobriety through the above mentioned outlets. Utilize one or all of them to get back on track to the healthiest version of yourself – you can do this!
