With rising numbers of alcoholics and substance abuse, resources for recovery have become more important than ever. In fact, it seems that one popular social media site is even playing a role in helping people overcome their addiction. It seems a certain subreddit on Reddit has become a sort of recovery group.
Recovery.org analyzed the more than 500,000 comments on the subreddit, r/stopdrinking. Their study, titled ‘Searching For Sobriety’, made some pretty interesting discoveries.
-In 2013, r/stopdrinking had nearly 10,000 subscribers – today, that number has exceeded 47,700 and more than 40% are actively commenting.
-Surprisingly, the most-mentioned alcoholic beverage is beer – claiming nearly 6,800 mentions.
-Nearly 1 in 4 active users publicly display their days without alcohol – in total, the community claims 2,893,376 days sober.
-“I will not drink today” is the most popular phrase in subreddit r/stopdrinking.
The website writes: “Looking at these numbers, it’s no wonder that r/stopdrinking is ranked 1,179 for its number of subscribers. With its daily check-ins that allow people to pledge their sobriety and real-time chats that connect users in their times of need, r/stopdrinking has become a secure, anonymous source of comfort for those struggling.”
This role of helping has left many debating the role social media plays in daily life. After all, another study found that there was a negative connection between social media use and substance abuse. However, Reddit seems to be the exception.
So, the next time someone calls Reddit, a website for procrastination, you can tell them that it is much more than that. Reddit is saving lives.
If you or someone you know is battling with addiction, visit recovery.org for resources on how and where to get help.
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