Wellness
Whether you're looking to cut back or try Sober September.
When you want to make a big change, it never hurts to have a little extra support, especially if that support comes in the form of a motivational tool you can take with you wherever you go. That’s the idea behind sobriety apps, aka a digital dose of inspiration you can keep in your pocket and access whenever you need.
There’s a wide range of sobriety apps available, from simple habit trackers to apps that provide access to sober communities and support groups. If you’re just dipping your toe in the sobriety pool for Sober September, apps like Saying When or TRY DRY (the official app of Dry January, which is run by the charity Alcohol Change UK) can help you keep track of your experience for those 30 days.
The reason you might participate in something like Dry January or Sober September is to give yourself a break from drinking and/or reevaluate your relationship with alcohol. “For many people, [the 30 days] helps break their drinking habit so that they can be more intentional moving forward around when they do or don’t want to drink,” says therapist and coach Heidi McBain, LMFT, PMH-C. While you may go back to drinking afterward, the challenge can serve as a helpful reset for your body and mind. (Not having to deal with a hangover is just the icing on the cake.)
If you’ve already done that work or you’re looking to get sober, then you might want an app that goes beyond trackers and motivational quotes and dives a bit deeper. Look for apps that offer cognitive behavioral therapy, distractions, and support groups that’ll set you on the right path. While an app is never going to be a replacement for therapy or real-life support, it’s a great tool to have when getting or staying sober.
Here are 9 of the best sobriety apps for 2022 to help get you started.
1
TRY DRY
With over 100,000 downloads, the TRY DRY: Dry January app is a go-to for anyone who wants to give up alcohol for a month, whether it’s Sober September, Dry January, or something beyond. It’s free, it’s science-based, and it helps you “try out” what it feels like to quit drinking for a month.
There are features like “planned drinking” to help you cut back, customizable goal setting, a chart that shows how much money you’ve saved, and daily motivational quotes to keep you going. The app also includes a drinking quiz so you can check your progress.
2
Saying When
Saying When can help you quit drinking or just cut back a little, depending on your goals. Designed and developed by the education department at The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Canada’s leading addictions and mental health hospital, this app allows you to track both your drinks and your urges.
Start by answering a few questions to understand when and why you drink, set personalized goals that fit your lifestyle, and then check in daily using the dashboard to see how you’re doing.
3
I Am Sober
The free I Am Sober app helps you track your sobriety with a like-minded community. You’ll get a handy tracker that displays how long you’ve been sober, right down to the second. The app also shows off all your milestones, allows you to make pledges, and it has a space to engage with others for a little extra motivation.
4
SoberTool
Download SoberTool if you like the idea of receiving daily motivational messages. This app, created by a Harvard-educated licensed alcohol and drug counselor, also calculates your days sober and all the money you save by not drinking.
If you experience a tough emotion, type it into the search bar and the app will lead you to ways to cope so that you don’t relapse. The apps “helps change relapse thinking to recovery thinking,” which is essential if you’ve been having a hard time. It also features a chat forum where you can anonymously share messages and get support.
5
Happify
If the idea of giving up alcohol — even for a month — sounds stressful, then you might want to try Happify. This app uses science-based activities and games to help you overcome negative thoughts, stress, and challenges.
According to the app, 86% of people who use Happify regularly report feeling better about their lives in two months. While Happify isn’t specifically for drinking or sobriety, it does use positive psychology, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mindfulness techniques to put you in a better headspace, thus making any big change feel easier.
The free version of the app gets you unlimited access to games and meditations, a 20-page character strength report, and a progress tracker so you can see how you’re doing as you work towards your goals.
6
Nomo
Nomo was created by a person in recovery who needed a tool to stay on track. It offers a simple clock so you can see the number of days you’ve been sober. As an added bonus, though, you can also go in and create more clocks for other habits or hang-ups you’re trying to overcome.
Need some encouragement? Then check out the encouragement wall from the community, look for an accountability partner, share your clocks, or send private messages to other folks who are trying to stay sober. There’s also a spot to journal as well as some games to play that’ll help you refocus whenever you’re tempted to drink.
7
EasyQuit
EasyQuit, a sobriety counter app, can help you break a drinking habit via its “quit slowly” method, aka a customized plan designed to help you become alcohol-free at your own pace. It also offers a countdown timer that displays all the aspects of your health that improve once you stop drinking.
If you happen to have a craving, click on one of the memory games to help you stay distracted and pass the time until the urge goes away.
8
Sober Grid
Ever feel like no one understand how hard it can be to give up drinking? Then check out Sober Grid, the top sober social network for people recovering from alcohol. You can use it to find sober people near you, and as a way to get 24/7 peer support.
If you want to remain anonymous, though, you totally can. The app has plenty of other features that are private, like a sobriety counter, badges, check-ins, and “quests” designed to help you stick to your new habits.
9
Stop Drinking With Andrew Johnson
Available for $2.99 for Apple and $2.49 for Android, the Stop Drinking With Andrew Johnson app is designed to help you relax, think positively, and motivate yourself to overcome the physical and emotional cravings associated with giving up alcohol.
This app is chock-full of practical tools to help you change how you think, break bad habits, and regain control of your life, which is perfect if it feels like you’ve been drinking a little too much. It includes breathing techniques, meditations, visualization practices, and positive suggestions from mindfulness coach and therapist Andrew Johnson.
If you or someone you know is seeking help for substance use, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP(4357).
