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Affect’s evidence-based, digital treatment program offers an accessible way for patients diagnosed with stimulant use disorder to receive high quality care. Many treatment programs are unable to treat individuals with stimulant use disorder; however, our program is specifically designed for these patients. It is also an excellent way for patients to continue their recovery journey following withdrawal management, residential treatment programs, or discharge from other outpatient programs. 

Sadly, we know that over 60% of people with stimulant use disorders will relapse within 30 days of leaving treatment and 85% will relapse within one year. When people have continuing care, a supportive recovery community, and access to professional help for 3-5 years, we know that 95% will be able to manage their disorders with lasting remission.

Affect’s clinical model was developed in full awareness of the challenges people in recovery face and the difficulty in successfully treating StimUDs. Unlike opioid and alcohol use disorders, there is no FDA approved medication assisted therapy for stimulants.

Our program leverages Contingency Management and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy into an engaging and completely mobile experience. We use game design theory and the power of technology to change how we can successfully treat these difficult conditions. Patients carry their recovery programs wherever they go and have access to clinical care whenever they need it. Drug screens are conducted remotely and accurately. We are well aware of the power of social media and games to activate dopamine, and combining this with contingency management’s proven effectiveness in activating the brain’s rewards system, we are able to deliver a program that engages and motivates members.

We eagerly partner with treatment centers to provide the continuing care patients need, preventing morbid relapses that claim too many lives. Find out more about how Affect works by downloading this overview and start referring people today.

Healthcare providers including primary care physicians, nurses, and dentists are positioned to be among the first to recognize the symptoms and signs of chemical dependency. All generalists and specialists will encounter patients with substance use disorders. With empathy and the right approach, healthcare providers can help patients get into treatment to manage the chronic condition of addiction. Affect’s digital program offers a discreet and nonthreatening way for patients to get effective treatment. 
25% to 40% of hospital admissions are related to substance abuse and its physical consequences, and 10% to 16% of outpatients seen in a general medicine practice are suffering from problems related to addiction. “Meth Mouth” is emerging as an epidemic in dentistry. Only 1 in 13 people who need treatment actually get it. The costs of drug use in lost productivity and health are $132 billion annually.

The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs and Health notes that prevention and treatment of substance abuse have been traditionally delivered separately from other mental health and general care services. This is largely due to a historical view that substance abuse was a criminal or social problem, as well as poor access to a limited range of treatment options. But that is changing with more recent health care laws and new trends in providing integrated care.

It is known by research and data that emergency departments have the ability to dramatically improve the situation. Following screening and diagnostic assessment, a “warm handoff” at discharge to connect patients to addiction treatment is a “proven way to ensure that patients have continued treatment and long-term help managing their substance use disorder.” Hospitals could face legal responsibilities under four federal laws when they do not follow the evidence to identify and treat patients with substance use disorders.

Affect offers all health care providers, case managers, and health systems an effective program that is convenient and accessible to their patients presenting with signs of substance use disorders, and it works as a powerful component of integrated care. Intervention is the key to saving lives and reduces overall costs on the health system. Bringing a patient to recovery is among the most rewarding experiences a healthcare provider can have.

We encourage healthcare providers to inform their patients of Affect’s digital program for addiction treatment. Find out more about how Affect works by downloading this overview and start referring people today.

The 750,000 licensed counselors who specialize in mental health in the United States are well- positioned to screen their patients for substance use disorders and refer them to specialized treatment. The strong co-occurrence of mental health disorders and substance use disorders means that all counselors will encounter patients needing treatment at some point.

A panel of experts from the fields of social work education and credentially, psychology, behavioral health, addiction medicine, and psychiatry was convened by the Pew Charitable Trusts to explore how counselors can help more people and what challenges they face. The panel found that millions of people with SUDs already receive treatment for unrelated mental health issues, but counselors face challenges in screening, as well as insurance coverage, access to specialized addiction treatment, and a need for more training.
Counselors have many of the competencies but don’t necessarily recognize their ability to help. This also holds true for social workers who regularly address the consequences of substance use in helping people and families. Yet, these trusted helpers are often the only voices that can convince people to take the difficult first step to admit, accept and face their disorders.

Early intervention can help prevent substance problems from escalating. Getting patients into treatment they can access and afford helps treat co-occurring disorders immeasurably.

Affect offers therapists, counselors, and social workers a powerful tool in helping their clients and patients find the clarity to address their complicated problems and start to resolve the consequences of their substance use. Our smartphone-based program’s convenience makes it as easy as possible for them to work an evidence-based program that is covered by insurance and so affordable that self-pay is cost effective. Discreet and private treatment allows people who resist getting help in clinics a way to avoid fears over the stigma of addiction.

We encourage behavioral healthcare providers and social workers to inform their patients of Affect’s digital program for addiction treatment. Find out more about how Affect works by downloading this overview and start referring people today. 

Affect directly addresses the root of the stimulant crisis one recovery journey at a time. It is an ideal program to reduce the burden on the prison system by offering an effective option for deferred sentencing, fulfilling court orders to enter treatment programs, and reducing recidivism and parole violations. 

More than 80% of people in jail or prison report having used illicit substances. Over half of the population of jails and state and federal prisons meet the DSM-IV criteria for a Substance Use Disorder. Yet, less than 20% of those receive any form of formal treatment. Meth is widely available within prisons, and there is an overdose crisis in prisons and jails, where the number of fatal overdoses has risen 600% since 2015.

Substance abuse continues during and after incarceration, and even those who stop using are likely to resume post-release. A study found that 43% had at least one symptom of substance dependence within one year of release and over a quarter reported cocaine use.

Upon release from incarceration, resumption of substance use carries risks, including more dangerous crime, parole violation, exacerbation of mental health conditions, transmission of infectious diseases, and drug overdose. 19% of males on probation aged 18-49 have a drug use disorder.

When members of the justice and legal system refer people to Affect’s effective program, they are saving lives and making streets safer. They help reduce the illicit drug crimes that cost the nation $61 billion a year.

The smartphone app is an excellent solution for individuals on parole or house arrest, and is shown to be more effective than attending recovery meetings or going to outpatient treatment programs.

We welcome all who work in the justice and legal community to inform their patients of Affect’s digital program for addiction treatment. Find out more about how Affect works by downloading this overview and start referring people today.

It is candidly brutal to watch someone you know and love suffer from addiction, deny they have a substance use problem and refuse to get help. Addictions ravage homes, damage families, destroy relationships. It’s confusing and frustrating and overwhelming to feel powerless against the power of an addiction that is possessing someone you care about.

It’s important to know that you can’t force someone to get into addiction treatment; they have to want it. Staging an intervention is a tricky thing and it can be very scary. Threats and ultimatums are common outcomes of these frustrations, anger, and resentments. While the realization that someone could lose their families and loved ones as a consequence of their addiction can bring about the moment of clarity to admit a drug problem, it’s also common for that person to escape into the comfort of the drug and head towards “rock bottom.”

There are practical considerations with the dangers that addiction poses to those around someone in its grip. It’s important to protect your other loved ones from harm as well as guard your finances. Setting boundaries is part of not enabling a drug habit, but it can be necessary to remove yourself and your other loved ones for their safety. 
As hopeless as it may seem sometimes, that doesn’t mean you can’t help your loved ones and friends. There are three keys to improving the situation and encouraging them to seek treatment. First, don’t become an enabler. Second, be non-judgmental. Third, suggest specific help reassuringly.  

Safety and reassurance helps people step towards recovery. And it’s important for people to understand that recovery is a journey and relapses happen as people learn to manage the chronic condition for their life. Laura Silverman, a Shatterproof ambassador and founder of the Sobriety Collective, has been in recovery for 12 years. Her advice for supporting a loved one through this experience is, “Empathy, empathy, empathy. Remove shame, don’t blame, and show love.”

Getting professional help for your loved one can help them understand their need for professional help. When someone is ready to begin their recovery journey, you can tell them about Affect and how our program offers privacy, safety, and understanding support. We’re here to help in any way we can.