Frequently Asked Questions

What is Forge?

Forge is an iPhone app that helps people quit addictions — including alcohol, nicotine, vaping, cannabis, pornography, gambling, prescription pills, and opioids. It combines a sobriety streak tracker, a structured 90-day Vice Grip Plan, an AI recovery coach, craving SOS mode, daily missions, and accountability partner support. Available with a 7-day free trial.

What addictions does Forge support?

Alcohol, nicotine, vaping, cannabis (weed), pornography, gambling, gaming, sugar, social media, opioids, prescription pills, and custom user-defined addictions. The AI coach and Vice Grip Plan adapt their content to each addiction type — so the language and strategies match what you're actually facing.

Is there a free version of Forge?

Yes. Core features — streak tracking, milestones, basic journal, and accountability partner invites — are free. Forge Pro unlocks the AI Coach, Vice Grip 90-day plan, Streak Saves, advanced analytics, and unlimited accountability partners. Every Pro plan starts with a 7-day free trial.

How much does Forge cost?

Forge Pro has four billing options: Annual at $89.99/yr (~$7.50/month), the Vice Grip 90-day plan at $29.99, Monthly at $11.99, and Weekly at $3.99. All plans include a 7-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

Does Forge work on Android?

Not yet. Forge is currently iPhone-only (iOS 16 and above). Android support is on the roadmap.

How is Forge different from I Am Sober or Reframe?

I Am Sober is primarily a streak counter and community app. Reframe focuses specifically on alcohol. Forge covers 10+ addiction types and adds a structured 90-day recovery plan (the Vice Grip), a real AI coach trained for addiction recovery, craving SOS mode with breathing exercises, daily missions, and a growing recovery tree. Forge is built for people who want a system — not just a counter.

What is the Vice Grip Plan?

The Vice Grip Plan is Forge's structured 90-day recovery system. It breaks the first 90 days into daily missions, habit education modules, and reflection prompts — all adapted to your specific addiction. Rather than relying on willpower alone, the Vice Grip gives you a specific action every day so you always know what to do next. Available with Forge Pro.

How does the AI coach work?

Forge's AI coach knows your streak, your addiction type, and your history. It's available 24/7 for craving support, journal reflection, and check-ins. Unlike a general-purpose chatbot, it understands addiction recovery patterns — the withdrawal timelines, the high-risk moments, the emotional dynamics of each stage. Available with Forge Pro.

What is the craving SOS mode?

The SOS mode is a dedicated crisis screen inside Forge, accessible from the dashboard at any time. It walks you through a guided breathing exercise, lets you log the craving and its trigger, offers coping technique chips drawn from your personal history, and alerts your accountability partner if you choose. It's designed for the moment a craving peaks.

What happens if I relapse?

Forge logs the relapse, lets you note the trigger, and restarts your streak immediately. Forge Pro includes Streak Saves — which let you protect your progress after a documented slip without resetting to zero. The AI coach checks in after a relapse to help you understand what happened and adjust your plan. Relapses are treated as data, not failure.

Is the AI coach a replacement for therapy?

No. Forge is a peer support and recovery tracking tool, not clinical care. If you're in crisis, call or text 988 (US Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 (free, 24/7, confidential).

What is the best app to quit drinking alcohol?

Forge is designed for alcohol recovery, with a structured 90-day plan, an AI coach that understands alcohol withdrawal timelines, streak tracking with money-saved calculations, daily missions, and accountability partners who are notified at your milestones. A 7-day free trial is included.

What is the best app to quit smoking or vaping?

Forge supports nicotine and vaping cessation with a 90-day structured plan, AI coaching through the withdrawal timeline (day 3 physical peak, weeks 2–12 psychological), craving SOS with breathing exercises, streak tracking, and daily missions. Free trial on iPhone.

What is the best app to quit weed?

Forge supports cannabis recovery with AI coaching adapted to cannabis withdrawal patterns (anxiety, sleep disruption, low mood), streak tracking, daily missions, and a crisis SOS mode. Cannabis withdrawal peaks at days 4–10 and Forge's Vice Grip Plan is structured around that timeline.

Is there an app to help quit porn?

Yes — Forge supports pornography addiction recovery with streak tracking, AI coaching adapted to behavioral addiction and dopamine dysregulation, trigger identification, urge surfing tools, and accountability partners. The 90-day Vice Grip Plan guides users through the brain rewiring window.

Is there an app for opioid or pill addiction recovery?

Forge supports opioid and prescription pill recovery as part of a broader treatment plan — providing streak tracking, daily structure through the Vice Grip Plan, AI coaching during PAWS, crisis SOS mode, and accountability partners. It is not a replacement for medical care or MAT — it works alongside clinical treatment.

How long does cannabis (weed) withdrawal last?

Cannabis withdrawal typically peaks between days 4–10 and largely resolves within 3–6 weeks. Common symptoms include irritability, anxiety, sleep disruption (vivid dreams), reduced appetite, and low mood. The endocannabinoid system takes 4–6 weeks to restore baseline function in most daily users.

How long does nicotine withdrawal last?

Acute nicotine withdrawal peaks around day 3 when nicotine fully clears the system, then reduces over 2–4 weeks. By week 4, physical cravings are significantly reduced. Psychological cravings — tied to habits and triggers — can persist for up to 3 months but become shorter and less intense over time.

How long does opioid withdrawal last?

Acute withdrawal from short-acting opioids (heroin, oxycodone) begins within 6–12 hours, peaks at 36–72 hours, and largely resolves by days 5–7. Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) — involving mood instability, sleep issues, and cravings — can persist for months afterward and is when most relapses occur.

What is PAWS (Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome)?

PAWS is a prolonged period of neurological and psychological symptoms that follows acute withdrawal. Most common after opioids, alcohol, benzodiazepines, and cannabis, it involves mood swings, anxiety, sleep disturbance, brain fog, and cravings that come in waves. PAWS can last months but improves progressively — good windows getting longer, bad windows getting shorter.

Why doesn't willpower alone work to quit an addiction?

Addictions involve structural changes to the brain's dopamine system — reduced receptor density, altered reward signalling, and strong conditioned cue responses. Willpower is a prefrontal cortex function that is weakest exactly when cravings (driven by the limbic system) are strongest. Sustained recovery requires structure, accountability, cue management, and time for the brain to rewire — not just intention.

How long does it take to rewire your brain after addiction?

The first 90 days are the most critical window for neurological change. The dopamine system begins recalibrating within weeks of abstinence, but full restoration of receptor density and reward sensitivity takes 3–12 months depending on the substance, duration of use, and individual neurobiology. This is why 90 days is the widely used benchmark in addiction recovery.

Does tracking sobriety streaks actually work?

Yes. Streak tracking works through two well-documented psychological mechanisms: loss aversion (the pain of losing your streak acts as a deterrent during craving moments) and identity reinforcement (a growing streak builds evidence that you are capable of abstinence). Research on habit formation confirms that visible progress tracking significantly improves long-term adherence.