Apps for Addiction Recovery and Mental Health
In a world dominated by technology and particularly mobile technology , it’s not surprising that the worlds of addiction recovery and mental health have found a foothold in the app industry. By using these apps and other like them, you may be able expand your support network and your ability to track progress. That said, it bears repeating that nothing replaces human contact and communication.
Recovery
Never Use Alone
To provide a life saving point of contact for people who use drugs. We're there to help you in the event of an overdose.
We will never shame, judge, or preach to stop. If you are interested in getting help, we have resources available for you, but we will never push them on you. We recognize that you will only quit, when you're ready to quit. We just want to help keep you a live until that time comes!
This all-in-one app is designed to support many types of recovery journeys, from alcoholism to sex addiction. Included in its features are:
A directory of 12-Step and alternative support groups and options for checking in at the meetings
The ability to connect and chat with other Addicaid users
A journal and daily check-ins
Spending calculator
Eating regimen to reduce cravings
Hotlines
Beyond supporting recovery, the app is also designed help with addiction prevention. As one reviewer put it, “Just wanted to cut down and really didn’t dig the idea of going to meetings or calling myself an alcoholic. The info here and talking to other people has helped me a ton while on the job. And I’m a bartender!”
Check out their website and download the app with the links below.
Being accountable to oneself and others is a central step in addiction recovery. That's the idea behind this app, which breaks the often abstract concept into something as concrete as a traffic light. It works like this: Users customize a list of those behaviors they want to track, then rate their success based on a green, yellow and red light system. By tracking triggers and their intensity, the app goes one step beyond simply rating success to establish those situations and behaviors that contribute most to it.
Ever wondered if there was anyone nearby who knew what you were going through? Sober Grid takes the mystery out of it by offering users a location-based virtual support group. Having a rough day? Send out an S.O.S. by clicking the “Burning Desire” button and allow those close to you to reach out.
Check out the website and download the app below.
Marsi Road
Marsi Road displays a listing of open detox/recovery beds for those dependent on opioids, alcohol, and other drugs that produce physical dependence such as benzodiazepines (xanax, valium, klonopin, ativan, etc.). Also listed are doctors within the state that are licensed to prescribe Buprenorphine, as well as various recovery meetings across the state (SMART Recovery, NA, and AA). All listings are filterable.
Clean Time Counter
The CleanTime Counter keeps track of the user’s sobriety by calculating the time that has elapsed since a starting date. It has different customizable settings.
Stop Drinking with Andrew Johnson
English hypnotist and stress-management coach Andrew Johnson has been helping people find calm and order for almost two decades. Now, he brings his relaxation techniques and visualization tools to alcohol addiction recovery.Whether you’ve only just begun your journey or you’ve been alcohol-free for several decades, Johnson’s techniques may help you find calm and tranquility so you can handle stress without turning to alcohol.
Available for iPhones and Apple products for $2.99 and Android devices for $2.99.
I am Sober
Visualization is important in achieving any goal, and sobriety is no exception. As you make the journey towards a sober lifestyle, this app shows you your progress. In fact, as you continue to use the app, the homepage shows you how many years, months, and days you’ve been sober. There’s also a countdown to your next milestone for extra inspiration.For some additional help, the app features a daily notification that acts as an electronic buddy system to remind you of your goals and progress.
Available for iPhones and Apple products for $1.99 and Android devices for $1.99.
AA & NA
12 Steps AA Companion
This sobriety tool is available for members of Alcoholics Anonymous. Provides a Big Book reader, prayers, Big Book promises, search tool, sobriety calculator, notes, and AA contacts database. An anonymous icon protects anonymity by not showing references to AA. Also contains an extensive meeting directory and program descriptions.
Available for iPhones and Apple products for $2.99 and Android devices for $1.99.
AA Big Book
Listen to the entire Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book as well as audiobooks, audio courses, and speaker tapes to help you stop drinking, live sober, and recover from alcoholism. The AA Big Book from Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob has helped millions of men and women give up alcoholism and drug addiction. Learn from inspiring stories by Al-Anon speakers. Get tips on how to quit substance abuse through the use of the 12 step program.
NA Basic Text
Intended as a complete textbook for every addict seeking recovery, Narcotics Anonymous describes the N.A. program and how it works. It includes the N.A. Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, as well as many personal stories of men and women who have found freedom from addiction through Narcotics Anonymous.
This app only facilitates playing the audio files directly from the archive.org website. You will need a stable internet connection anytime you wish to play the audio tracks.
Available on Android
Meditation
Headspace
One of the more popular, if not most popular, mindfulness and meditation apps on the market, Headspace takes you through a multitude of meditation techniques for a variety of situations and issues. If you're looking for a way to start meditating, this app gets you there.
After an on-air nervous breakdown viewed by millions of million, Good Morning America news anchor, Dan Harris embarked on a personal journey of self discovery and with the help of meditation. What makes this app a bit more compelling, is that Harris self medicated and admits to his own struggles with drugs and alcohol. His initial publication was his book on meditation, "10% Happier", followed by his podcast of the same name, and then his most recent book, "Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics." And finally the "10% Happier App."
While this is true of all of his media, Harris' podcast and app are rich with interviews, discussions and instructions by some of the most respected meditation teachers on the planet.
Insight Timer
Guided meditations and talks led by the world’s top mindfulness experts, neuroscientists, psychologists and meditation teachers from Stanford, Harvard, Dartmouth and the University of Oxford. Music tracks from world-renowned artists.
Calm
In a society that encourages overwork, science now shows us that we can all work better, be more productive, and have happier lives if we learn how to balance work and rest. Join Dr. Alex Pang as he shares how you can avoid burnout and use rest skillfully so you can get more done by working less.
Breathe
Breathe is a mindfulness app that helps you stay calm and battle anxiety by sending you gentle deep breathing reminders throughout the day.
In addition to sending breathe reminders, we also send daily mindfulness quotes and allow you to customize your notifications based on whatever helps you relax throughout the day.
Simply set up the times in which you'd like to receive the notifications, how frequently, and the content of the reminders. We'll deliver these when you need them most!
Mindfulness Coach
Mindfulness means paying attention, on purpose, to whatever is going on in the present moment without passing judgment on it. Mindfulness has been shown to be effective for reducing stress, improving emotional balance, increasing self-awareness, helping with anxiety and depression, and coping more effectively with chronic pain.
This app was developed to help Veterans, Service members, and others learn how to practice mindfulness. It offers exercises, information, and a tracking log so that you can optimize your practice.
Mindfulness Coach was created by VA’s National Center for PTSD and DoD’s National Center for Telehealth & Technology.
Zen Friend
ZenFriend helps you to build this habit by offering a beautiful timer, a worldwide community and a way to keep a record of how much you meditate.
Simply Being
Through the use of guided meditation and technology, we have been able to bring meditation to thousands of people worldwide. Our Meditation Oasis® podcast, CDs and apps have connected us with people from every walk of life and age group. Our guided meditations are recommended by doctors and therapists and are used in schools, businesses, hospitals, clinics, military settings and homes all over the world.
Cognitive Behavioral Training (CBT)
Mindshift
Much like Pacifica, MindShift is a tracker and guide designed for those with anxiety. However, funded by the RBC Children’s Mental Health Project, it specifically targets teens and young adults and includes tool kits for guiding users through anxieties as specific as perfectionism and test anxiety.
Pacifica
For many, addiction is as much a symptom as it is an illness in and of itself. This makes addressing the core issues that may be fueling the need to escape a central part of recovery. For those with depression and/or anxiety, relief and support can be found through Pacifica. In addition to offering a mood tracker and guided meditations, this app uses principles based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help smooth over distorted thinking patterns and overcome anxiety by breaking it down into bite-sized daily challenges.
Moodkit
MoodKit is designed to help you apply effective strategies of professional psychology to your everyday life. With four integrated tools, MoodKit helps you to engage in mood-enhancing activities, identify and change unhealthy thinking, rate and chart mood across time, and create journal entries using custom templates designed to promote well-being.
Developed by two clinical psychologists, MoodKit draws upon the principles and techniques of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), one of the most effective and scientifically-supported methods of psychotherapy. MoodKit's innovative design enables it to be used on its own or to enhance professional treatment.
General Relaxation
Calm in the Storm
The Calm in the Storm is a valuable tool in understanding what stress is, the effects it can have on the body, mind and spirit and how to recognize when stress levels become unhealthy and even dangerous. The app helps you to identify, assess and track your own stress levels and provides easy-to-use and highly effective mind/body practices. Calm in the Storm guides you in creating a personalized virtual hope box and links to local resources that can support you in times of distress or crisis. It also helps you manage suicidal thoughts and create individualized plans for keeping you safe.
Relaxia
Personalized sleep and relaxation experience. With an intuitive interface, create a very unique and personalized ambiance to suit your personal needs.
Naturespace
Immerse yourself in the most vividly detailed natural spaces on the planet, captured in unbelieveably high-res 3D sound. Unlike conventional recordings, Naturespace goes far beyond simple entertainment. Our massive catalog is a multi-faceted solution for creating a calm and balanced mental state by transporting you to the world's most benevolent natural environments. Unparalleled for managing stress and anxiety, insomnia, tinnitus, and PTSD, our recordings are also a fantastic tool for enhancing focus and concentration, stimulating the imagination, fueling creativity, and eliminating distractions by masking unwanted noise.
While Naturespace is an entirely new way to reproduce sound, you don't need any special equipment. Just put on your headphones and close your eyes.
Military
Breath2Relax
Lower your stress and reduce your anxiety with Breathe2Relax. Initially designed for the military community but beneficial for use by anyone, the relaxation app trains you on the “belly breathing” technique that has proven benefits for your overall mental health. Use the app’s breathing exercises to learn and practice the breathing technique on your own or as part of a stress management program supervised by your health care provider.
PE Coach
PE Coach is the first mobile app designed to support the tasks associated with prolonged exposure treatment for PTSD. Providing hip-pocket access to the necessary tools for successful PE participation, the app includes audio recording capability for easy playback after sessions; tools to support patient tasks between sessions; and visual displays of symptom reduction over time.In addition, PE Coach is integrated with smartphone calendar functionality to encourage patient recall and session attendance.
PE Coach will help providers and patients overcome certain barriers to PE implementation, dissemination, and adherence.
PTSD Coach
PTSD Coach was designed for those who have, or may have, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This app provides you with education about PTSD, information about professional care, a self-assessment for PTSD, opportunities to find support, and tools that can help you manage the stresses of daily life with PTSD. Tools range from relaxation skills and positive self-talk to anger management and other common self-help strategies. You can customize tools based on your preferences and can integrate your own contacts, photos, and music. This app can be used by people who are in treatment as well as those who are not.
PTSD Coach was created by VA’s National Center for PTSD and DoD’s National Center for Telehealth & Technology.
Miscellaneous
HelpSteps
As the site says:
HelpSteps connects individuals to local health and human resources to alleviate disparities in health and social well-being in our community. HelpSteps was developed by a team at Boston Children's Hospital and is maintained by Veta Health. HelpSteps is supported by the Boston Public Health Commission, Mass 211 and the Greater Boston Food Bank.
What are the HelpSteps tools?
Conceived in 2004 by Dr. Eric Fleegler, HelpSteps is a set of web and mobile tools designed to connect individuals with local resources. We have developed tools designed to efficiently and effectively identity user's needs and provide targeted referrals to the health and social service agencies and resources best-suited to meet those needs.
Who can use the HelpSteps?
The assessment and referral tools are available at no cost to anyone with access to the internet or a smart phone. We also offer a premium version which allows agencies, hospitals and others to track referrals, provide follow up and basic case management, integrate with electronic medical records, and perform analytics.. For more information about the features, pricing and availability, please contact us at info@helpsteps.com.
At the end of the day, an app, however effective, cannot replace professional help, community support, or a good friend. If you or someone you love is struggling to live a full and happy life—be it due to addiction, mental health or a combination of the two—do not hesitate to contact a professional.
