Catrine Lindström had tried to break her alcohol addiction many times. A while into her recovery, she heard about a digital service. It had helped others to sobriety, and she took the chance.
An app, connected to a wireless alcohol meter, became her companion on the road to a sober life. It has now lasted for a year and eight months. Villanytt became curious about the service called Previct, and we asked Catrine to tell us how it works.
I Drank a Lot
Despite the fact that the competitive rider Catrine trained hard and focused on competitions, she also had a strong desire for partying in her youth.
– I drank a lot, and when I later married a man who had the same problems, alcohol took over our everyday life as well. But I have always been ambitious in my working life, and managed to hide that I actually had an addiction, says Catrine.
A Supportive Employer
The drinking escalated further when her horse died and the stimulating stable chores ceased. As a last cry for help, she did not hide her drinking at work, which led to the employer confronting Catrine. It became both a sensitive and important conversation that ended with Catrine getting in touch with healthcare.
– I had already failed to take control of the drinking several times, so I understood how difficult it would be. With a wise and supportive employer, I quickly got help, which was crucial. Another crucial factor in my path to sobriety was that I heard about the Previct app. Via a counselor at the health center, I got to try it. And it really suited me.
Discreet Use
Catrine uses the app together with a small, discreet alcohol meter that she blows into daily. In the app, there are many tools that she uses to pep herself up, document sobriety, and compare better and worse days. But also functions for managing difficult feelings and mapping where in life the risk of relapse arises. Her treatment manager follows the information, and in the app there is also an emergency button that you press in the toughest moments.
A major advantage is that the use is discreet, and the treatment does not require me to deviate for frequent meetings. I can show my progress to myself, the therapist, relatives, and the employer if we have such an agreement. Blowing to show my sobriety before I come to work has become like an inspiring competition for me: And I am a winner every day, Catrine emphasizes
Exists at all Levels of Society
She is happy to talk openly about the abuse and the way out of it, to help wash away the shame for other affected people. And the fact that she, as a professional woman and active in equestrian sports, became an alcoholic can increase the understanding that the problem exists at all levels of society.
Since the user manages the tools and functions themselves, the instinct to kick back against something imposed by authorities is absent. Catrine agrees:
– Every morning I open the app, and answer encouraging questions and make promises to myself, which I can then evaluate in the evening whether I have lived up to. The whole setup has made me better at handling feelings and thoughts and being able to enjoy every sober day. Even if it initially feels like a new and difficult world.
When asked what has been her greatest reward, Catrine answers:
– That I got my life back and can have a horse again!