If you’re in addiction recovery and want personal tools to help you stay on track, apps can be really useful because they can be carried with you wherever you go. There’s a whole raft of them out there too. We’ve selected just a few (the majority of which are based around the 12 Steps), but simply doing a Google search for recovery apps will return many recommendations!
SURE Recovery (free)
SURE Recovery was developed by a team consisting of people who have suffered with drug and alcohol problems, researchers and clinicians from King’s College London and Mindwave Ventures. It’s aimed at anyone in or thinking about recovery and can be used to track all areas of your recovery as well as sleep and allows you to record notes in a dairy. Arguably, the most useful feature is the Substance Use Recovery Evaluator (SURE). As described on the AppStore, users can “use this to track all elements of your recovery including drinking and drug use, self-care, relationships, material resources, and outlook on life. You can track your scores over time and get personalised feedback including information and tips each time you use the tracker.” Another huge plus about this app is that it’s free. To learn more about the app watch the introduction to SURE Recovery video here.
Get it on Android and Apple devices.
Pink Cloud (subscription required)
If you feel a digital personal recovery organiser could be helpful to you, perhaps consider downloading The Pink Cloud app. It’s used by some staff here and we thought it was worth writing about in case any readers find it useful too. It’s primarily a meetings finder where, regardless of your location in the world, it will display your nearest Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Crystal Meth Anonymous meetings.
Other features include:
- A sobriety journal where you can keep notes
- A ‘prayers’ section to view common prayers and add your own
- A ‘to do list’ section
- A ‘resentments’ section to record all of your resentments
- A phone list to keep the phone numbers and email addresses of sobriety-related friends and acquaintances
- It tracks your clean time
It’s described on the app store as an app where “your road to recovery is mapped out and tracked in one safe, anonymous app.” This is an app which has to be subscribed to and there’s a charge, (currently £9.99 a year after free month’s trial). We know that charging doesn’t align with the AA traditions, however developing an app isn’t cheap and there are other features which some people don’t mind paying for if it makes life and their recovery that bit easier.
Get it on Android and Apple devices.
AA Big Book Ultimate Companion (free version and subscription to unlock all content)
Designed for members of AA and NA this app contains over 1,000 hours of recovery focused and wellness audio content that can be listened to without internet connection. It helps people to get, and stay, clean and sober. Audio includes the entire AA Big Book, stories of addiction and recovery and AA, NA and Al-Anon speaker tapes as well as sober meditations and prayers, all to keep your recovery on track. It also includes relaxation and meditation sounds.
Get it on Android and Apple devices.
Twenty-four Hours a Day (free)
This award-winning app with rave reviews gives users access to Hazelden’s inspiring readings featuring thoughts, prayers and 366 uplifting meditations specifically for people in recovery from addiction. It claims to be an app that “makes it easy to focus on your sobriety wherever you are. Practicing the Twelve Steps has never been more accessible.” It’s essentially an app version of the book by the same name. “Each day you will receive a thought for the day and an accompanying meditation for the day. You can choose to incorporate reading the meditations into your daily routine or open the app when you have a moment to read through some recovery material.”
Get it on Android and Apple devices.
12 Step AA NA Daily Meditation (free version & subscription to access all)
This app features hundreds of easy-to-follow guided meditations, as well as soothing music, prayers, and 12-step recovery audio. If you are going to be travelling and unable to make meetings, this can be a great way to stay engaged with the steps. There is a free version but to access all features a subscription is required.
Get it on Apple devices.
