Photograph courtesy of Reframe
After the pandemic, many people chose to reevaluate their relationship to alcohol. Reframe, a neuroscience- and psychiatry-based app, was launched in 2020 to help people cut back or quit drinking altogether. The startup was founded by Vedant Pradeep and Ziyi Gao, two Georgia Tech graduates who realized there was no middle ground to help those who didn’t have a clinical problem with alcohol but wanted to change their habits.
“We were fascinated by the idea of the peak human condition, where someone is the best version of themselves mentally, physically, and emotionally,” Pradeep explains. He acknowledges that was a bit esoteric, so they looked into solving a targeted problem. Pradeep has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and the pair of engineers set about trying to help those with similar conditions. “We began talking to people with OCD and realized that a lot of them were using alcohol as a way to self-medicate,” he says.
They switched gears, and now Reframe focuses solely on a user’s relationship with alcohol. The app uses science to help users develop coping strategies. “Alcohol is not the problem itself; it’s a symptom. It’s a bad coping strategy,” he says. “We help users figure out what the real problem is and how to cope in a healthier fashion.”
Paid users get personalized programs that can help with individual goals, monitoring progress, meditations, dream tracking, and more. Everything is science-based and vetted by medical professionals, including three Emory University doctors on the medical advisory board. There are lessons, exercises, and content that take about 10 minutes a day to do, with the hope of changing behavior patterns over time. There’s also a community aspect, where users can talk directly with each other and lend accountability and support 24/7, and one-on-one coaching for anyone looking for extra help.
To date, Reframe has helped over one million people change their relationship with alcohol and has raised over $27 million in funds through three rounds, including $14 million from David Cummings of Atlanta Ventures, who was the app’s first investor.
“We’ve found that the real way to help someone cut back is to help them not need alcohol in the first place. To do that, you need to help them manage their emotions and build healthier habits,” Pradeep says.
