Wearables are creating unprecedented opportunities for addiction treatment providers. These devices, once seen as luxury gadgets, have become increasingly sophisticated while remaining affordable. They offer effortless collection of physiological data — including heart rate, movement, sleep patterns, and more — in a field that has traditionally relied on subjective reporting. The promise is clear: real-time, objective insights into patients’ physical and emotional states could help providers make more informed decisions and improve treatment outcomes. This is where Addiction Treatment Technology comes into play, bridging the gap between traditional care and modern innovation.
However, as exciting as this technology is, the behavioral health field faces a major challenge: what to do with the enormous amount of data wearables can generate. “From our standpoint, the best use [of wearables] right now is to collect that data to figure out how we can best utilize that data,” said Dr. Greg Hobelmann, co-CEO of Ashley Addiction Treatment in Havre de Grace, Maryland, in an interview with Behavioral Health Business. Ashley Addiction Treatment recently announced a research partnership with WHOOP, a wearables company, to explore these possibilities and push the boundaries of Addiction Treatment Technology.
The Limitations of Current Wearable Use
Despite the potential, wearables have not yet become a standard part of everyday addiction treatment. One major reason is the lack of scientific evidence linking wearable-tracked metrics — like heart rate, movement, or sleep — to actionable treatment strategies. Dr. Jean-Luc Neptune, CEO of Suntra Modern Recovery, points out that while wearable data, such as heart rate variability, is interesting, interpreting it and turning it into effective interventions is complex. “You’d need a whole layer of interpretation, and then actualization to actually use that technology,” he said.
Dr. Hobelmann emphasizes that the real value of wearables lies in their ability to help patients change behavior. Raw data alone is insufficient; it must be translated into meaningful insights that patients can understand and act on. Without this, wearables risk generating more information than is useful, creating confusion rather than clarity. The next step in Addiction Treatment Technology is to turn raw data into actionable treatment plans that improve patient outcomes.
Where Wearables Can Make an Immediate Impact
For now, the clearest application of wearables in addiction treatment may be in supporting fitness and wellness. Exercise is already recognized as an effective adjunct to traditional treatment methods. Studies show that physical activity can reduce cravings, improve mood, and help manage comorbid mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Wearables can help patients track progress, visualize improvements, and stay motivated.
At Ashley Addiction Treatment, exercise is considered a core component of recovery. Hobelmann notes, “We’re not treating a substance use disorder in a vacuum.” Wearables could help patients see tangible results from their efforts, reinforcing healthy behaviors that support long-term recovery. This integration of wearables into daily routines is a prime example of practical Addiction Treatment Technology.
Beyond wellness tracking, wearables may offer a valuable early warning system for relapse. Patients approaching relapse often stop self-reporting symptoms, making it difficult for providers to intervene. Devices that monitor physiological indicators could alert care teams when someone may benefit from outreach. Neptune explains, “In that way, we may be able to catch somebody one day into the relapse or 12 hours into the relapse as opposed to seven days into the relapse … before things have gotten much, much worse.” Using wearables in this way is a growing frontier of Addiction Treatment Technology.
Expanding the Possibilities: Predictive and Harm Reduction Applications
Looking further ahead, wearables could revolutionize the field by providing predictive insights and enhancing harm reduction strategies. By tracking patterns in data over time, providers could identify triggers for relapse, understand environmental or behavioral risk factors, and intervene proactively.
Some experts also see wearables as a potential life-saving tool. Devices capable of monitoring respiratory rate, blood-oxygen levels, or other critical indicators could detect overdoses in real time. In theory, such devices could alert emergency services or nearby caregivers, potentially saving lives. Dr. Stephanie Carreiro highlights this potential: “This would be a potent and new form of harm reduction, ensuring people in addiction stay alive or minimize damage while in addiction.”
There is even speculation about future technologies similar to continuous glucose monitors, which could monitor opioid overdose risk and deliver naloxone automatically. However, these ideas carry substantial risks, such as the potential for precipitated withdrawal or other medical complications. Carreiro cautions, “I don’t think we’re there yet when everyone can walk into their substance use treatment provider and show them their app and make treatment all better. But we have to keep asking the right questions.” These cautious innovations are part of the ongoing evolution of Addiction Treatment Technology.
Ethical and Practical Considerations
The integration of wearables into addiction treatment raises important ethical and practical questions. Privacy, consent, and civil liberties must be prioritized. Technology must be opt-in, non-punitive, and designed to help patients, not monitor or control them. Carreiro stresses, “It’s so important in earning the trust of this community and making sure that technology is used in a way that helps people.”
Accessibility is another concern. Programs that require the latest flagship smartwatches are not feasible for most patients. Devices and software must work across different technological capabilities to ensure equity in care. Designing Addiction Treatment Technology for the broadest possible patient base is essential to its success.
The Road Ahead
Despite current limitations, Ashley Addiction Treatment is investing in the future of wearable technology. The organization is working to combine wearable-generated data with self-reported patient information and, eventually, genetics data to develop predictive models for addiction treatment. Hobelmann notes, “It’s going to take a really long time to gather this data to figure out what’s there and how do we best analyze it.”
There is a strong sense of urgency in the field to improve outcomes for people with substance use disorders. Dr. Andrew Huhn of Johns Hopkins University emphasizes the need to find meaningful applications for wearable data even as understanding is still limited. As predictive models and patient-facing interventions continue to advance, Addiction Treatment Technology could redefine how providers monitor, prevent, and intervene in relapse.
Conclusion
Wearables represent a promising frontier in addiction treatment. They offer the potential for greater objectivity, more proactive interventions, and innovative approaches to harm reduction. For now, their most immediate impact may be in supporting fitness, wellness, and early detection of relapse. In the long term, predictive models, integration with genetic and behavioral data, and real-time monitoring could transform the way providers understand and respond to addiction.
While the field is still exploring how to best utilize this technology, the careful integration of Addiction Treatment Technology has the potential to enhance patient outcomes, increase safety, and make recovery more personalized and proactive. The journey is just beginning, but the promise is significant.
