Frequently Asked Questions Answered by Amber
In my (Amber's) opinion, it's very much worth the money. Many of my clients have been able to avoid going to residential treatment due to Soberlink. Because of Soberlink, they can work on recovery without missing work, school, and important family events and responsibilities. Additionally, most of my clients who use Soberlink need significantly fewer sessions.
“False positive” is actually a misnomer. Any positive registered by the Soberlink system means alcohol was detected, but there may be concerns that it was not actually consumed alcohol. Soberlink has a built-in system to help confirm whether or not alcohol was actually consumed. If a positive test is received, the user is asked to complete another test in 15 minutes to serve as a confirmation test. Most of the time, these positive tests are caused by something called mouth alcohol, which is alcohol in your mouth from a medicine, something you ate, or oral hygiene, etc... Mouth alcohol goes away quickly, whereas blood alcohol slowly leaves the system. If a person gets a false positive due to mouth alcohol, it's usually gone by the confirmation test. Other systems don’t have this, which can lead to more mistrust and frustration.
There is no set time limit commitment for Soberlink. However, I suggest my clients use Soberlink for at least four months, which allows new habits and daily routines to form. Most of my clients end up deciding to use Soberlink for longer than four months because it works so well in helping them maintain sobriety and significantly reduces tensions at home. I've got one client who has chosen to be on Soberlink for years now. Whenever I ask her about coming off Soberlink, she says she wants to keep it because she doesn't have to worry about her husband getting anxious if she goes out shopping or is away from the house. It alleviates all the uncomfortable tension for her, so she's decided to keep doing it for now.
If a test is missed, the user will be sent reminder texts, and if the user has an accountability partner, they will also receive a message that a test has been missed. If the user takes a test after within the set late window their next scheduled test time, it will be marked as late. However, if the late window has passed, and they still haven't taken it, it will be marked as missed. You and your accountability partner can decide on the consequences of missed and/or positive tests. However, in my experience, just knowing that another person knows what's going on is enough. Transparency is the accountability factor.
My clients usually let me know ahead of time if they're going to miss a test for some reason. However, if they do miss a test, I send them a message to check on them. Often, they either forget their device at home or they're in a situation where they can't take it. (ie: an important meeting etc..), and they let me know when they'll be able to take the test. I can go into the system to make a note of it.
You can remove accountability partners by contacting the Soberlink team. The person removed or added will receive a message letting them know they've been removed or added as an accountability partner.
You and your accountability partner (if you have one) will decide on your schedule. I typically suggest taking three tests/day. One first thing in the morning, sometime in the middle of the day, and a test before bed. Your testing schedule doesn't have to be the same every day. For example, if needed, your Monday schedule can be different from your Thursday schedule. This makes it easy to work around your daily routines/work schedules. If you're going to be traveling, you can also shift your time zones or create an alternative schedule for special events. The point isn't to try and "catch" someone drinking. It's to prevent drinking!
You will control who has access to your results and your accountability partners. You will also be able to print your testing reports whenever needed.
Reliability and support are significant benefits of using Soberlink, and because the device has facial recognition and tamper detection sensors built-in, it's almost impossible to cheat a Soberlink test. Other devices are easy to manipulate which actually causes more harm because there is a false sense of security.
You can choose a close family member or friend as your accountability partner. Recovery counselors, coaches, and sponsors also make good accountability partners.
The typical testing window is one hour. The user receives a text message fifteen minutes before the scheduled time and can take the test anytime after they receive the message up to an hour before it's considered late. They then have another hour late window before it is missed. However, if there are special circumstances, a few time frame alternatives can be considered.
In my experience, if someone who has a drinking problem relapses, there will be way more than one missed or late test. One missed test doesn't necessarily mean the person has relapsed. If you start to see a pattern, you'll know something is up. For example, if someone starts missing most (or all) of their morning tests, it's a strong indicator that the person is drinking after they take their nighttime test and doesn't feel it's out of their system by morning.
Try not to panic or get negative with the person. The first line of defense is to "damage control" the situation. If you make a person feel like they've ruined everything, they may feel hopeless and continue the relapse. I try to talk briefly with the person about what happened so we can identify triggers or adjust the plan when needed. Most importantly, I let them know they haven't destroyed everything and that they can easily pick right back up and keep going. If it's a short relapse period, I refer to it as a blip or a lapse. Short lapses can actually get great learning opportunities,Sometimes, a lapse strengthens a person's recovery motivation and skills. The best thing an accountability partner can do is help the person stay positive and motivated.
There are also several very helpful videos on my YouTube channel about what to do if you experience a relapse. Here's a link to them.