This Smartphone App Really Supports Recovery

During the first year of sobriety, recovering alcoholics are extremely vulnerable to relapse. Without a solid support system, staying sober is an uphill battle.

Today, in the age of technology, applications (apps) are constantly developed to meet the needs of multiple demographics. Now the disease of alcoholism has its very own app, known as Addiction-Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System or A-CHESS. According to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry, the A-CHESS app offers vital addiction support and improves the possibility of life-long sobriety.

What Makes A-CHESS Different?

Apps designed specifically to help alcoholics are nothing new. In fact, the app has been in development for a little over six years, and was funded via federal grants. We’ve seen a large number of applications hit the market, each claiming to help alcoholics, including: One Day at a Time, Twenty Four Hours a Day, and Joe & Charlie. What sets A-CHESS apart from other apps are its rigorous clinical trials. In fact, A-CHESS is the first app of its kind to undergo massive randomized clinical trials as a means to test effectiveness.

A-CHESS offers fully individualized support for recovering alcoholics. Users can enjoy features like:

• Daily messages of support and encouragement
• Weekly questions to help counselors assess a user’s frame of mind
• Access to online support groups and counselors
• GPS location issues an alert if users are close to a bar or liquor store they used to frequent
• Panic button gives struggling alcoholics instant access to distractions, personalized reminders, or instructions to contact friends who can offer support
• Periodic welfare questions are asked via text or voicemail; A-CHESS contacts a counselor if extra support is needed

A-CHESS Success Statistics

Since a solid support system is important for sustained sobriety, A-CHESS gives its users a valuable advantage. According to the JAMA study, A-CHESS provides solid benefits for recovering alcoholics over the first year of sobriety. In fact, A-CHESS users were 65 percent more likely to remain sober after leaving an in-patient treatment program. After one year, 52 percent of A-CHESS users remained alcohol-free, compared to the 40 percent who received traditional support.

A-CHESS is still in the preparatory stages for mass commercialization, but the app will likely find its way to Android and Apple stores in a matter of months.

If you or someone you care about is struggling with alcohol abuse, take action and look for alcoholism treatment options. Call and speak to a recovery advisor today.

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