CELEBRATING THREE YEARS of SOBRIETY in CYBERSPACE

SoberRecovery.com marks third anniversary and service to more than 2 million visitors in need

Millions of people suffer from substance abuse and all but a tiny percentage will be unable to break their habits without help. Thanks to the extraordinary resources provided at SoberRecovery.com, a 3-year-old Internet success story, help is available around-the-clock to anyone who is suffering and ready to change.

Launched at the turn of the century — the 21st Century — SoberRecovery.com is a one-stop directory for anything related to recovery, especially for those in the grips of alcoholism and substance abuse. The site includes an abundance of simple-to-access, easy-to-act-on information and a wealth of resources for sobriety and sober living. Part sounding board, part support group, part white pages and yellow pages, SoberRecovery.com is one of the Internet’s most comprehensive directories of recovery information and support.

Substance abuse takes many forms in today’s complex world. SoberRecovery.com ensures that visitors in need can find help, referrals and information regarding heroin, cocaine, alcohol, marijuana, crystal meth; and treatment program options including detox, residential treatment centers, wilderness camps and outpatient programs for adults or adolescents.

Teens, Parents, and Addiction
According to statistics, almost 17 million Americans aged 12 or older abused or were dependent on either alcohol or illicit drugs in 2002. “Young people are so often the casualties of addiction because before they know what’s happened, they get in over their head, especially with alcohol” says Jon Heller, founder of SoberRecovery.com. For those who are too frightened or embarrassed to talk to their parents, there’s confidential, life-saving information on our site.” And for parents who are desperate to act, but don’t know what to do or where to turn, there’s the support and guidance they so critically need to save their sons and daughters.

Man with a Mission
Jon Heller is the experienced professional whose vision and passion are the twin engines that power SoberRecovery.com. A former drug and alcohol counselor and program manager for a dual-diagnosis sober living program, Heller was intrigued by the possibilities of cyberspace. “I’d had a limited amount of experiences with websites and Internet marketing, and decided to challenge myself to see if I could create something valuable.”

Originally, the site had “very humble beginnings,” and was “just a few pages of links to AA and counseling sites,” says Heller. Today, SoberRecovery.com offers thousands of resources and serves over 70,000 unique visitors (with more than 350,000 page views) each and every month.

Born in Pasadena, but now headquartered in Palm Springs, SoberRecovery.com is “a place where anybody seeking help from alcoholism, addictions or mental health can find support and resources quickly, easily and at no charge,” says Heller. Unlike many sites, SoberRecovery.com has no membership requirements, charges no fees, and makes all information available free-of-charge. “Our revenue comes from our advertisers,” Heller explains. “It’s a win-win situation for everyone.”

User-Friendly (in a Good Way)
At SoberRecovery.com, the word “user” has a dual meaning. The goal is for people who are self-medicating with food, alcohol or drugs of any kind (to deaden pain, mask emotion or vent frustrations) to use the site instead and get the relief they need as quickly and easily as possible. “It’s not uncommon for people to make their commitment to sobriety in the dead of night,” says Heller. “And when someone is ready to call it quits we want to remove as many obstacles as we can to keep people in the fast lane on the road to recovery.”

Heller is committed to making SoberRecovery.com easy-to-use and is continuously updating its functionality and content. The 2500 unique recovery resources are searchable by category or keyword, and a Message Board community with 20 full-time moderators helps newbies by offering support and help.

“Our message board community is huge and it keeps growing,” says Heller with pride. “There have been nearly 100,000 posts in our forums. It’s extremely gratifying to read how generous people are with their support and expertise, and to watch someone take their first steps on the path to recovery.”

Visit SoberRecovery online at www.SoberRecovery.com