When done well, technology has the potential to improve the lives of the masses. This is the case with Chris Thompson's Sober Sidekick app. With 1 in 7 Americans, 12 and older, reporting having a substance abuse disorder (SUD), it couldn't come at a better time.
As many struggle through Sober January, we are highlighting what could potentially be a key piece of the sobriety journey—Sober Sidekick. Founder and CEO Chris Thompson built a platform that provides people in recovery with a supportive and empathetic community as well as a tool for tracking sobriety.
Founder and CEO Thompson shares how his technology came to fruition. "I thought about the community that I had built so far around my goal to maintain sobriety and how crucial it was." He also considered the factors that prevented him from seeking help sooner. "I had significant anxiety concerning the opinions of others, the prospect of isolation, and the fear of embarking on this journey alone. The idea behind Sober Sidekick was to reduce these obstacles, allowing individuals to access a supportive community without facing the daunting leaps I had to take. I committed to building a world where connecting with the right people at the right time is not left to chance. And, when Sober Sidekick users have their 'most important day in their' recovery, they will have the support they need."
The Most Important Day
Thompson shares that while the day he hit rock bottom was the beginning of his 'Comeback Story,' there was another day that turned out to be the most important day in his recovery.
"I want to talk about that day when you will want to quit, that day, that no matter how hard you try, it still isn't good enough. What we don't realize is that in those tough moments, the day that you want to quit trying to stay sober is the most important day of your life. It is the bridge between who you are today and who you were and who you are about to become."
Thompson adds, "The most important day of my recovery, for me, was not one full of sunshine and roses. It was a day where I felt like everything had to go my way and nothing did. I was about six months sober. I had spent my last few dollars to fly to San Francisco for a pitch that I was hoping would turn into some much needed cash to push Sober Sidekick forward. Not only did no one in the room believe in what I was trying to do, but I was late for checking into my hotel. I had $60 to my name and nowhere to sleep."
He continues, "I fell into full-on self-pity. I knew what to do to stay warm. I walked into a liquor store and bought a bottle. I sat on the curb, twisted off the cap, and tried to lift the bottle to my lips... but for some reason, it felt heavy. I set it back down. I started pacing on the street, conflicted."
"I didn't want to feel, but I knew that I didn't want to be a quitter. Floating around in my head was this thought, 'What if I am never good enough?' and that is when it hit me! What if I am not supposed to be enough; what if I am just supposed to be good enough to try? And what if 'bravery' only can happen when you feel weak? What if today is the most important part of my recovery, because I have a choice? I have a choice on whether this tough moment is going to take me out or take me forward."
Thompson woke up the next morning at a hostel, still sober, feeling so grateful and joyful, and more determined than ever to move Sober Sidekick forward. "I realized that morning that THAT win I had was far bigger than the wins I have on my good days. I realized I had all I needed. I needed to be willing to embrace the moment and challenge the thoughts. It's been five years since that day, and I haven't wanted a drink since."
The Sober Sidekick App
With the app, Thompson desired for others to not have to go through what he did when he hit rock bottom. He wanted to create a powerful tool for instant, anonymous, continuous support for individuals who understand the struggle.
While living in a sober living facility, he taught himself to code. After the app's creation, he initially connected with treatment centers in order to help individuals get access while they were in recovery. However, he identified a huge flaw in the current treatment center model, which was prioritizing financial success over sustained sobriety.
Thompson rejected the model that was dependent on 'heads in beds' and that bet on people failing. He explains, "When your business depends on people relapsing and coming back to you versus helping people get back on track, that's a huge problem for me." So, he shifted to a value-based care approach, collaborating with health systems and targeting customers like payers, employers, and healthcare providers.
Thompson is working on conveying this seismic shift to financial backers. "I wanted to prioritize the end-user experience and transitioned to a model aligned with my original vision, to help people become the hero of their own recovery journey, and build a community that helps them reach their sobriety goals." And it's working. Presently, Sober Sidekick is seeing a daily influx of 500 to 1000 new members.
Thompson adds, "I want people to get the help they need when they are having moments of weakness." The Sober Sidekick app helps track app users' sobriety, and the platform also tracks whether a community member might be in danger of going off track. "Sober Sidekick allows us to be proactive and offer assistance at the first sign of trouble, at the initial indication someone needs that extra support."
Thompson emphasizes that more individuals are voluntarily reporting their sobriety on their platform than on any other. This reporting enables them to intervene promptly when issues arise or seem likely to arise. The app utilizes machine learning models to predict potential relapses among members, allowing for proactive and preventive measures to enhance their chances of long-term success.
In contrast to much of the substance abuse treatment industry, Sober Sidekick measures success based on sustained sobriety. "We're documenting both victories and setbacks, providing this information to those who can reform the system. Without measuring success, you can't achieve it or know the necessary actions for success. What you measure is what you improve, and unfortunately, nothing was being measured in this space before Sober Sidekick."
Thompson knows the right investors are out there. The ones who want to see technology used for the benefit of the 29 million adults who feel that they have/had a substance use problem and those who are in recovery. This app reflects Thompson's commitment to a proactive and transformative support system that will help countless individuals find a community, track their sobriety, and feel like they are never alone.
Thompson's parting advice for those who are in recovery right now is, "If you are going through a tough moment right now, have some empathy for yourself, know that the fact that you are willing to face this moment no matter how scary, is the bravest thing you could possibly do."
Check out what Sober Sidekick can do today.
