The blockchain may not appear to be the first source of relief for those suffering from alcoholism or drug addiction, but a new mobile platform — launched this week by US-based startup Hayver — could change all that. The company wants to help addicts remain sober by incentivizing behavior that is conducive to recovery, it states. Its software solution incorporates blockchain technology by creating a flexible open architecture and cryptocurrency incentives.
Hayver has built its software on the social infrastructures of the drug and alcohol recovery community, the company says in its statement. As with Alcoholics Anonymous and other leading substance abuse programs, a peer group of 5-20 individuals helps the person suffering from addiction. Every day, as the member logs into the Hayver application, a randomized utility determines whether they should be tested and the peer group notified. Members selected for testing use a urine screening cup. The results are then verified by one of the member’s ‘Circle of Support’ partners. The platform tracks the member’s check-in rates, test compliance, results and other behaviors, and generates a score to reflect his or her recovery success.
Hayver, based in Atlanta, is also launching its own reward cryptocurrency, the Duitcoin, to incentivize members who engage in behaviors that are conducive to recovery. The symbol of the Duitcoin, representing heroic courage, will be used to help dispel the stigma of addiction, says the company’s statement.
“Hayver is committed to leading people who are ‘at the end of their rope’, to a potentially better place,” says Dr. John M. Copenhaver, co-founder and chief medical officer of the Hayver Corporation, in a statement. “Our program ‘helps guard against slip up’ after recovery from one of the biggest diseases worldwide, a disease afflicting nearly 110 million people. With Hayver, we are using proven psychological methods to accelerate the recovery from fatal addictions, amongst them are alcoholism and drug addiction. Physicians, therapists and counselors have already realized the potential of Hayver, and decided to implement the system.”
About 21 million Americans suffer from drug and alcohol addiction, according to Hayver’s press release, with deaths from misuse totalling more than 135,000 each year, making this the number one killer of Americans under the age of 50.
Hayver will also offer:
- Assessment tools for persons who are relying on home care
- Encouragement to continue platform use notwithstanding relapses
- Continuous and affordable peer-to-peer monitoring
- Peer-to-peer support
- Objective algorithmic scoring correlated to successful use of the platform
- Outcome measurement capabilities
A video provides insight into how the system works:
More information is available on the company’s website: http://www.hayver.io
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