Sure Recovery app
SURE Recovery is an app for people who are:
- Using alcohol or other drugs
- In recovery, or
- Thinking about recovery
The app is free to use and has been designed to help people track their own recovery journeys and achieve their personal goals. It has been developed with people at different stages of recovery and is based on their ideas and feedback, resulting in the following key features:
1. Recovery Tracker: This feature allows people to track their own recovery using the Substance Use Recovery Evaluator (SURE). Once completed, the app provides personalised text feedback and a score. This enables people to monitor how their scores change over time. People can also set reminders to complete the tracker and share their scores with others, such as a friend, family member, or support worker. Please watch the video below to see how to complete SURE.
2. Sleep Tracker: This feature works in a similar way to the Recovery Tracker. App users can complete the Substance Use Sleep Scale (SUSS) to monitor their sleep and receive personalised feedback and a score. People can also set reminders to complete the tracker and share their scores with others, such as a friend, family member, or support worker. Please watch the video below to see how to complete SUSS.
3. Diary: This is a private space where people can log their thoughts and feelings, appointments, meetings, or anything else on their mind. This can also be shared with others.
4. Artwork: The app provides a platform for people to share their own artwork, poetry, or anything else creative with the recovery community. App users can submit their artwork for potential display in the app or check out and share others’ work.
5. Naloxone: This feature provides instructions on emergency support, including the use of naloxone, in the event of a heroin or other opioid overdose. There are also informational resources, including a training video, for people who want to learn more about using naloxone in an emergency.
6. Resources: App users have free access to the book, The Everyday Lives of Recovering Heroin Users. This book is based on the lived experiences of people in recovery. App users can find advice on lots of topics in this section of the app, from the cost of living to mental health. People can also share their views on recovery-related topics and see what other app users think.
If people want to help with research, they can additionally opt into sharing aspects of their data with researchers at King’s College London. This will help researchers to better understand recovery from drug and alcohol problems and the findings can then be used to help improve treatment.
How was the SURE Recovery app developed?
The SURE Recovery app was developed by researchers at King’s College London in collaboration with people in recovery from alcohol and other drug problems, and Mindwave Ventures.
The development process involved numerous interviews and workshops with people in recovery, considering their experiences and what they thought would be useful in an app. People with lived and living experience of substance use were consulted at every stage of development, including content, design and usability.
In 2023, we also updated and relaunched the app based on feedback from app users.
The app is now available to download, just search ‘SURE Recovery’ on the App store or Google Play.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Aurora Project Lambeth, the Service User Research Group (SURG), and Create Recovery. Without their support and advice, the development of this app would not have been possible.
Funders
The development of the SURE Recovery app was funded by:
- Action on Addiction
- The National Addiction Centre, King’s College London
- NIHR Maudsley BRC
Our Partners
The Aurora Project
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