Alcohol addiction impacts millions of Americans. The Tempest app aims to help these people wherever and whenever they need it.
Since the pandemic started, sales of alcohol have skyrocketed. As digital healthcare becomes more and more popular, the online platform Tempest, a digital-only alcohol recovery and support program, is designed to meet people who want to cut back on alcohol use where they are — whether it’s at a work party, a family holiday, or simply at home alone.
And while alcohol consumption certainly soared while everyone was at home, sober living is now a trend to be reckoned with. Tempest CEO Ruth Sun compares the rise in people looking to cut back on or quit alcohol entirely to the shift that happened in the tobacco industry: “People thought it was cool, and then all of a sudden, the messaging became, ‘smoking kills.'” We spoke with Sun about how the platform differs from traditional alcohol treatment programs, who the typical Tempest user is, and what to do if you think you might be ready to stop drinking but need some support.
KCM: Tell us about Tempest. How does it work?
RS: We are sort of like the “Noom” of modern recovery, and our subscription costs less than a daily cup of coffee. When you join, you fill out an intake form that asks what’s important to you — what do you want out of this, what are your goals, what do you enjoy — so we can make sure the content you’re getting is specific to you and will drive good outcomes and engagement. For example, if you’re a working parent, we’ll let you know that there’s a working parent call on Thursdays at 7 p.m., and ask if you want to join it. We’ll also serve you content that’s working parent-specific, like “what to do when you’re stressed out about your kids.” We’ll create “nudges” for you, whether it’s to participate in a specific community platform or to watch a video, or even a short text that’s relevant to you as a parent. We might also recommend coaches with whom you can have one-on-one sessions, and they will also be parents. We personalize the platform as much as we can to keep you engaged.
Are potential users ever concerned that since the support program is digital only that it might not be as effective?
There certainly used to be the belief that brick-and-mortar and face-to-face interaction was the only way to drive real engagement and real results. That has completely flipped since the pandemic. We saw explosive growth during the pandemic, and alcohol sales have gone through the roof. People feel lonely and isolated, and many of them have turned to alcohol to cope.
Digital health used to be seen as a less desirable option, but it’s now become the first choice for care for many people. Regardless of age, background, and gender, most people are now very comfortable being treated in a digital space. We did offer in-person options pre-pandemic, but when we went digital-first, we found that our engagement rates and our effectiveness rates did not drop at all. In fact, preliminary reports from a recent study show our effectiveness has increased — it looks like we’re going to see anywhere from a 55 to 61 percent reported reduction in excessive drinking from our users. Our users love to that they have a convenient option that’s available to them 24/7 right in their pocket.
When do people most commonly use the platform?
The beauty of it’s that it’s available anywhere and anytime you need it. One of our members reached out to me about a month after I became CEO. This person is an executive at a Fortune 500 company. He said, “I’ve been using your platform for six years, and you are my support system. I attend dozens of company events where they’re serving alcohol, and if I have just one drink, I have a really hard time stopping. Especially if I’ve had a difficult day, just walking into that event room stresses me out.” This is a time when people tend to relapse or have moments of weakness. This user told me that when he feels overwhelmed, he will just excuse himself, go to the restroom, and check in on Tempest. Maybe that means sharing what he’s feeling on a message board to his community colleagues, where he can get an immediate response from his support network. Maybe it means looking at a content series on tips to get through a party without drinking. He could even call or message his coach. Nobody at that event knows what he’s doing, and nobody needs to know. People check their phones all the time at parties. Being able to get that support in a way that’s fully anonymous, in real-time, anywhere, is such a beautiful thing.
When most people think about quitting drinking, they think AA. What makes Tempest different from other programs?
The major difference is that we do not prescribe a way you have to adhere to recovery. This is not a 12-step program — it is an inclusive approach that celebrates you for who you are and does not ask you to fundamentally change. We create the safe environment for you to understand and face the root causes that have driven you to become dependent on alcohol and help you to experiment with which healthy habits work for you. And then reinforce those habits with the support system of our community until they become a regular part of your life. Our approach removes the stigma and shame of addiction — it’s about celebrating change, empowerment, and inclusion.
At what point would you suggest someone might be a good candidate for Tempest?
On average, it takes a person with an alcohol dependency 10 years before they get help. Usually, that means them hitting rock bottom. Why wait 10 years? We want to erase the shame associated with getting help. What we look for first are indicators that alcohol might be an issue for you. That includes asking yourself things like: Can I only relax if I’ve had a drink? Do I feel like I need to have a drink every day just to calm down? Do I find that I have a consistent pattern of getting into a fight with my spouse when I’ve been drinking? Am I missing work consistently because of drinking? We’re trying to figure out if alcohol has gone from being something recreational to something you are dependent on.
The reason why this is important is that alcohol addiction can have huge impacts both on mental health and physical health. Just last year, 740,000 cancer deaths were attributed to excessive drinking. The NIH says the third leading cause of preventable death is excessive alcohol use. Scores of people develop physical health issues that started because of excessive drinking — things like high blood pressure, high A1C scores, or sleep disorders. We want to reach people before they get to this point.
Do you think sober living is something that’s becoming more socially acceptable?
Given the ongoing spotlight on how much damage drinking can do to your health, I think people will continue to seek out permanent alternatives. It’s kind of like smoking — people thought it was cool, and then all of a sudden, the messaging became, “smoking kills.” Bumble now has sober badges. One of our clients, Starbucks, has sober affinity groups. Salesforce is the first Fortune 500 company that has banned alcohol from all events. So the movement is happening, and the narrative around alcohol is changing.
Is the goal of Tempest to help users to give up alcohol entirely?
We do not believe that full sobriety is the only answer. Our goal is to get at the root causes of what made you become dependent on alcohol, so you can get to a point where it’s not getting in the way of your life. That said, our fundamental belief is that recovery is a lifelong journey. From a clinical standpoint, recovery or addiction is a chronic condition, just like diabetes. It’s not something to be ashamed of, but it’s something that even if you get under control, you still need to monitor. People in recovery generally have 60 to 90 percent relapse rates. Recovery is a lifelong journey, and we want to create an inclusive, modern, fun approach to help people manage that in a way that’s not shameful.
