App of the Week – WeConnect

Addiction is a serious personal problem. Let me correct myself. Addiction is a life or death internal war. Finding help and building a support network is vital to living beyond the addiction. That is why  “WeConnect” is the App of the Week.

WeConnect is an app-based platform that puts support for the recovering addict right in the palm of their  hands. And for the struggling addict that could be a miracle when they need it most.

Addiction in America is a frightening problem. A 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health revealed that there are an estimated 23 million Americans, some as young as 12 years old, using illegal drugs. The survey also reported an estimated 22.2 million persons age 12 or older were classified with substance dependence or abuse in the past year. For Black people the addiction problem is especially acute. These stats from a 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) are tragic.

• The rate of illegal drug use in the last month among African Americans ages 12 and up in 2014 was 12.4%, compared to the national average of 10.2%.
• The rate of binge drinking (drinking five or more drinks on a single occasion for men) among African Americans ages 12 and up was 21.6%–compared with the national average of 23%.
• African Americans ages 12 to 20 in 2014 reported past-month alcohol use at a rate of 17.3%, compared with the national average of 22.8%. Past-month underage binge drinking was 8.5% for African American youth, while the national average was 13.8%.

And in case you haven’t heard there is also a deadly heroin and opioid epidemic sweeping the nation.

WeConnect offers context-sensitive notifications to encourage timely communication within support groups. The apps dashboard view structures the user’s day with activities that are vital to his or her recovery such as prayer or meditation. WeConnect provides ongoing tracking of the recovering addicts progress. This is another vital function as every addict understands the concept of one day at a time.  The app can help track attendance at recovery program meetings. Addicts are master liars. Anyone who has dealt with one knows this. WeConnect tries to cut down on the lies and deception with functions that include using geofencing to determine if the addict really attended a particular meeting and even how long they spent there.

If you know an addict or are one yourself you know the struggle. And you also know some days are worse than others. WeConnect includes an SOS button a user can press to send an immediate and urgent message seeking help and support from pre-selected contacts. 

WeConnect also offers a rewards element built in to the app that allows users  to earn things like coffee coupons and yoga lessons as they advance in their recovery and progress towards a life free of substance abuse.

Currently WeConnect is in beta testing stage but that does not mean if you are an addict you cannot get help from this app. To become an early adapter click here.