Imagine a social media app for people in recovery that helps you find sober people nearby to make new sober friends. That’s the promise of Sober Grid. The app, created by Beau Mann, allows people in recovery to connect and share personal updates. It’s a location-based app that helps you connect with sober people.
How It Works
The app lets you create a personal profile or choose to use the platform anonymously. Once you sign in, you are instantly connected to a sober global community around your neighborhood. The app offers affordable certified peer coaches that assist people in recovery. Sober Grid peer coaches are trained to help people fight triggers and stay sober.
Their Burning Desire Button
Perhaps beyond the community aspect, this help button is the most fantastic addition to the app. If you’re ever in need, you can choose the “burning desire” button to alert other sober people that you need help. It’s an excellent opportunity to connect with someone when you’re having a trying time. Very close to calling your sponsor in the middle of the night.
Geosocial Networking
For people in recovery, finding sober people nearby can be a challenge. While it might seem unimportant, most recovering addicts only know others struggling with substance abuse or their dealers.
The Geosocial Networking feature lets you find other sober users close to them. Not only at home, but this feature works anywhere you are. For example, if you’re traveling and airplanes make you nervous, you can find someone at the airport to talk to or ask for support while you wait for your flight.
Sober Newsfeed
Like other social media platforms, Sober Grid also features a global newsfeed. However, unlike other apps, consider this newsfeed a trigger-free space. This is a safe place to share thoughts, experiences, and struggles. You can count on their peer support to help you maintain your sobriety and express your feelings without fear of attacks.
Access to Certified Peer Recovery Coaching
Not everyone can afford to continue visiting a therapist or counselor after leaving a treatment center. The app gives you access to evidence-based peer recovery coaching wherever and whenever you need it. Sober Grid connects users with coaches that understand the ins and outs of addiction.
What People Say
Of course, like with many other apps for sobriety and addiction recovery, not everyone is fond of the concept. By no means is Sober Grid a perfect social media platform, but it’s a step in the right direction.
An article by the New York Times argues that potential friends’ photos can make Sober Grid seem like a dating app for teetotalers, an impression Mr. Mann would like to discourage. He hopes it will appeal to a broader group.
However, other users have different opinions. A popular recovery site, The Fix, asked a few users to rate the app, and the reactions are quite positive:
“I enjoy Sober Grid … The burning desire and need for a ride option are brilliant. It’s perfect for those 2 am crises and general travel … This is the latest and greatest tool in staying stopped. Worth checking out!” -Frankilicious
In the end, we believe whatever helps you in your sobriety journey should work for you. Social media can be a powerful tool when we use it properly. Having access to a sober community can be paramount for your recovery, so if the Sober Grid app is the way to reach this support network, then, by all means, we celebrate it.
