Cici1986’s introduction to alcohol began in her teen years, and it didn’t take long before it was a full-blown problem. Heavy drinking in her 20s led to a run-in with the law in 2023 and a serious car accident in November of 2024. Straight from the hospital, Cici1986 checked herself into an inpatient rehabilitation program, marking the start of her recovery. As she completed the inpatient program, her case worker suggested that she download the Connections app to support her recovery. Cici1986 signed up, and she hasn’t gone a day without it since.
“I use it religiously,” Cici1986 said. “Every day, I check in. I attend meetings. I can connect with other people in recovery, and it’s a really good recovery community. It’s more friendly, not strict. With Connections, it’s come as you are, and you’re accepted as you are.”
As her journey progresses, Cici1986 has engaged with nearly every feature of the app, including cognitive-behavioral therapy skill-building exercises, virtual meetings, daily inspirations, and other tools. The daily check-in, however, is the one she never misses.“It gives me a sense of ‘Oh, look at me go!’” Cici1986 said. “I’ve been doing it since Day One, and then I see myself at over 288 days. It gives me a sense of pride to see how far I’ve come, and keeps me grounded and focused on my recovery.”
“It gives me a sense of ‘Oh, look at me go!’” Cici1986 said. “I’ve been doing it since Day One, and then I see myself at over 288 days. It gives me a sense of pride to see how far I’ve come, and keeps me grounded and focused on my recovery.”
Voices of Recovery shares authentic stories from individuals who use CHESS Health’s digital recovery solutions. Participants voluntarily share their recovery journey and how our digital support solutions have helped them throughout. All stories are published using aliases and with explicit permission from each individual, and participants choose their own images that either represent their story or resonate with them as part of their recovery journey.
