He tried 12-step programs to help fight his alcohol and cocaine addiction. Often after a meeting, MJ Gottlieb would find himself in a diner or coffee shop, alone and depressed because the fun life he knew was over.
After 15 years of trying to beat his addiction, Gottlieb has now been sober for nearly 7 years, but it’s an ongoing challenge. As the creator of a cellphone app for recovering addicts or others who chose sobriety, Gottlieb is helping to connect countless others who want to expand their support system and enjoy their new life.
“There’s just huge challenges when people come into sobriety for the first time,” Gottlieb told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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The app called Loosid is a "digital sober community" that enables people to meet other sober people for fun outings or trips. It also provides an outlet for those needing encouragement in their fight against addiction. The cyber community is much easier to face for those intimidated by support group meetings, Gottlieb said.
“So many of my friends that have relapsed are so ashamed of judgment that they don’t ever want to go back to the meetings they went to,” he said. “There’s this safe space that’s created because you’re just on your phone.”
The app debuted late last year in New York, and one of its first endorsers was Kelly Osbourne, daughter of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, and a recovering addict. Since then, Loosid has launched in other cities in the eastern U.S., including Atlanta, and plans include expanding west.
In addition to help with recovery, the app shares events, group activities and travel plans — something for everyone seeking a fun, healthy lifestyle, Gottlieb said.
A dating component on the app, already available in New York, will roll out in Atlanta in the coming weeks, he said. Between 800 and 1,200 new users are joining Loosid every day.
“We’re dealing with the opioid crisis here and it’s deadly and it’s heartbreaking,” Gottlieb said.
For app users who need immediate help or support, there’s a “beacon” button, which Gottlieb calls a “sober bat signal.” If someone feels alone and needs the support of others who understand, the Loosid cyber community is there.
And it’s not just for recovering addicts. The app is also geared toward those who have chosen sobriety for other reasons. Loosid is about enjoying life without chemical substances, Gottlieb said.
“When you remove the alcohol and the drugs, then amazing things happen because you can actually deal with life sober,” he said.
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