First Drug Addiction App Approved by FDA

FDA Approved Drug Addiction App

Thousands of apps exist in the mental health care space, and they are in wide use by people who struggle with conditions such as depression, bipolar, OCD or schizophrenia. Addiction being a mental disorder, there are apps to help those attempting to make a clean break, as well. These apps offer an amazing range of medical help and assistance to patients; they put mental health care within the reach of a larger range of people tan would be otherwise possible. What they don’t do, however, is to offer treatment considered medically valid. The makers of every drug addiction app aren’t permitted to promote themselves as actual alternatives to regular care by mental health professionals.

These apps are treated as help on the side alone; the reason is, they have never managed to make a predictable or reliable difference to a large enough set of users. All of this is about change now, however. The FDA, in September, approved of the first of a series of addiction recovery apps by Pear Technologies, an e-health major.

What makes this app different?

Reset is the name of the app by Pear Technologies. The app was developed over a period of several years with clinical trials involving hundreds of patients. It has been cleared by the FDA for use with addictions to some substances: alcohol, cocaine and marijuana. At this point, opiates aren’t included, but another app called Reset-O is due to be cleared by the FDA soon.

It’s a question that comes up right away: what makes Reset different from all the other addiction help apps that have been on offer? The difference is that Reset isn’t a standalone app. You don’t simply download it and try it out at home on your own. Instead, what it offers is an accessible window into treatment with an addiction specialist. The app is available by prescription alone, and you obtain it at rehab. Once you have the app on your phone, it does give you plenty of standalone help, but the kind of help that you get is personalized to your specific needs by specialists.

Is Reset effective?

Studies conducted by Pear Technologies have, at this point, proven a high level of benefit to patients. Surprisingly, there is evidence and research to indicate that care offered through this app is able to deliver a greater level of effective treatment than standard addiction rehab. While between 17% and 18% of regular rehab patients tend to achieve sobriety, 40% of those on the Reset up manage to stay sober.

The fact that the app makes customized care constantly available is one possible reason for the improvement in effectiveness.

Should you try Reset?

Reset is a substitute for the relapse prevention and other therapy that follows detox. Once you complete detox, it can help to ask the addiction specialist at your rehab about receiving treatment through the Reset app.

The Reset app offers transparent and secure care, care that is evidence-based and customizable. While it may not be able to replace the kind of intensive care available in inpatient rehab it is likely to be an improvement over the kind of treatment that most people do receive in outpatient care. If you’re interested, you should talk to the professionals at a good rehab about the possibility of getting better with the help of addiction apps. All you need to do is to call White Sands Treatment at (877) 855-3470.

If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.