My New Leaf Addiction Substance Abuse Recovery App
We conceived it!
We sought advice from substance abuse professionals!
We designed it.
We won awards for it!
Now help us build it.
My New Leaf is a state-of-the art application in development aimed at
combating what is the building humanitarian crisis of overdose deaths among young people worldwide.
We are a team of university students and recent graduates with degrees in computer programming, graphics and communications media, videography, and game design who are determined to help our friends and loved ones overcome addiction
with the tools to help them on the road to recovery. To that end, we founded a 501c3 nonprofit, My New Leaf. Inc.
We have lost friends to drug overdose and we, more than any other generation, rely on our cellphones for social interaction.
Our generation gives literal meaning to the expression “left to our own devices.”
Seven reasons why we believe our app is revolutionary in design and will save lives:
1. Free ad-supported separate portals for members and support accounts. Support account holders can earn points for the member by watching videos, downloading workbooks and reading articles that assist in helping
a friend or loved one in recovery. Support accounts only exist with the permission of the member and granular access to information contained in the member account is limited by the member (sometimes the family IS part of the problem).
2. Provides anonymous tools for “panic moments” to get in touch with a hot line, recovery buddy, mentor or sponsor through geolocation capabilities
.
3. Utilizes a gamified design using the seed to tree metaphor
that allows users to select an avatar from one of many tree possibilities. We designed this approach to engage our wired-generation that is used to
carefully crafting their online digital identities. We do this by using graphics and animation to express the nurturing of the seed bursting with potential growth, to a seedling, a sapling and ultimately to a fully integrated tree in the social
forest.
4. Draws heavily on evidence-based research from professionals in the substance abuse field including motivational interviewing and SBIRT techniques by tracking what motivates personal recovery in the facets of physical,
relationship and emotional wellbeing.
5. Uses applicable elements of video game theory to provide them with an immersive experience that will keep the member coming back through benchmarks, badges, level-ups and scheduled and unscheduled rewards.
6. Built on the principles of neuroplasticity of the brain to assist in behavior modification through feedback and rewards.Virtual rewards to decorate the individual’s tree environment and
real rewards of merchandise and recovery workbooks from professionals.
7. The app is built around the total respect for the confidentiality and anonymity of its members. We do not store passwords. We NEVER share information