16  Intro to Support Messages

You’ll enter the randomization number into the qualtrics form, and it will automatically show you the parts of the script you need to see.

16.1 General

Starting about a week from today, you’ll also start receiving your daily recovery support messages. Those will come at about 6am every morning, and they’ll be available until the next message goes out, 24 hours later. As with the daily survey, there will be a link to a qualtrics survey in the text message. You’ll simply open that link to see your support message.

You aren’t required to do anything with the support messages - we encourage you to read & think about the message and whether you find it supportive or helpful to your recovery, but there are no questions you must answer and whether or not you use them will not affect your participation.

These messages are customized to you, based on the data you’ve shared with us in the daily survey and through the GPS tracking app. I want to remind you that the system is still learning about you - you may find the messages unhelpful at first, or even wrong about your recovery. That’s okay! On your first longer survey, about two months into the study, you’ll have an opportunity to tell us how you feel about the support messages and whether they’ve been helpful or useful at all.

16.2 Activity-specific

In your case, daily support messages will also contain a brief recovery activity. These activities are based on approaches that have been studied in research and shown to be helpful for many people in recovery.

Each activity is personalized to your recovery health score and risk factors for that day. Activities will typically take 2-5 minutes to complete and include short readings, worksheets, or reflection prompts.

  • Readings introduce recovery-related topics, skills, and ideas.
  • Worksheets provide opportunities to practice skills through written exercises. Worksheet activities will have a link to a downloadable pdf that can be printed or completed electronically.
  • Reflection prompts encourage you to think about your experiences, coping strategies, and recovery goals.

You may find it helpful to keep a dedicated notebook for completing your activities. Looking back on previous entries can help you notice patterns, recognize progress, and identify strategies that have worked well over time. We will never ask to look at your responses and there are no right or wrong answers. The activities are designed to support learning, self-awareness, and personal growth.

To get the most benefit from these activities, try to engage with them thoughtfully and consistently. You do not need to complete every activity perfectly to benefit from them. Even spending a few minutes engaging with an activity can provide useful insights and support your recovery goals.

You may find that it is difficult to remember to complete the activity or find time to set aside for it. Thinking of these potential barriers ahead of time will allow you to make a plan. For example, it may be helpful to set aside a specific time each day to do the activity or set a reminder on your phone. Your recovery activity will be available via the link in your support message for 24 hours.

As you become familiar with the activities, you may find that they fit naturally into your daily routine and become a useful part of your recovery process