Let’s say you are at a baseball game and 30 days into sobriety. Everyone around you is enjoying beer and the temptation starts to wear on you. Or, say you are traveling; you check into your hotel room and that old pattern of heading to the lobby bar is the only thing on your mind. What do you do?

Will Cummins and Michael Crosby of Palm Springs hope that soon you will be able to reach for your Sober Chat app to connect with likeminded people in your vicinity. 

Sober-3Scheduled for an October launch, Sober Chat is the first location-based mobile app focused on helping people in recovery stay clean and sober. The founders, both in recovery from alcoholism/addiction, saw the need for an app to create a 24/7 support community for people who might be isolated, feeling triggered, or simply need another tool to supplement traditional methods of support. 

“As someone in recovery, support from my community is the number one factor for my daily success,” says Cummins. “There have been moments when I needed to connect with someone and my regular support system was not available.” 

There are an estimated 20 million Americans in recovery, and as many of the addiction programs say, it only takes two to make a meeting. “What we are trying to do is help avert a crisis or someone from taking that first drink,” says Cummins.

Not a traditional chat room, Sober Chat allows users to directly communicate with one another based on their location, length of sobriety, addiction type and other factors. When you log on, you select your preferences at that time such as ‘cup of coffee,’ ‘available to talk on phone,’ ‘I’ve got wheels,’ or ‘flash meeting’ which brings people together at a select location for an impromptu meeting. The app also allows you to track your sobriety days and marks milestones for users.

“All of us involved in this program have the same priority,” says Cummins. “Can we save some lives?” Crosby adds, “We believe that Sober Chat will be a powerful, in-your-pocket tool to do just that.” 

Sober Chat is not affiliated with any sobriety program or organization and anonymity may be chosen when you create your profile. The initial cost will be a 99-cent annual subscription. 

To register for the launch, sign up for email announcements at SoberChatApp.com or follow them on Facebook and Twitter @SoberChatApp.

Funding support is graciously accepted at igg.me/at/soberchat.

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