Last Updated on March 24, 2026
Fewer than 1 in 10 of the 28M individuals struggling with alcohol overuse get any form of help. And when they do get help, it’s often a decade or more after the onset of dependence.
Think of all the good we could do with 10 extra years of support to mitigate at-risk drinking behavior. With a model where managing alcohol consumption kicks in early, before habits become severely problematic.
But we miss this opportunity, because the way we approach alcohol and our health today is backwards and outdated.
Treatment options today are reactive, focused only on the highest acuity cases. They’re one-size-fits-all, pushing sobriety as the only path forward. They’re clinical and cold, alienating many who would otherwise benefit from help.
At Sunnyside, we’re building a modern way forward. We’re redefining the care landscape for Alcohol Use Disorder with a new protocol based in prevention, early detection, and intervention.
It starts with a welcoming front door.
Everything we do at Sunnyside is geared towards making the first step to a healthier relationship with alcohol as easy and inviting as possible. Our brand name invites optimism, and our bright colors and warm, positive tone are purposefully crafted to create a sense of belonging from day one.
But we don’t stop there. Sunnyside takes the outdated, reactive model of alcohol use support and flips it on its head. The experience we deliver to our members is personalized to individual goals, flexible, and unwavering through the ups and downs along the way.
This is especially obvious in our approach with Sunnyside Med, our new offering that pairs our proven behavior change program with doctor-prescribed medication for reducing alcohol cravings:
| The Old Way | The Sunnyside Med Way |
| Reactive and crisis-driven: We wait until alcohol dependence is severe before addressing it in the health system, leaving many to go it alone. | Proactive and preventative: Sunnyside Med focuses on early detection and intervention, providing care earlier to prevent the development of long-term dependence. |
| Medication used as a last resort: Despite being generally considered safe, naltrexone is rarely prescribed for mild and moderate cases of alcohol dependence. Instead, we wait until things get untenable before providing pharmaceutical intervention. | Medication prescribed early, in line with clinical guidelines: The Sunnyside Med protocol screens for at-risk behaviors, prescribing medication early with a lens towards preventing the development of more acute dependence. |
| Somber and clinical: With treatment options catered to only the highest severity cases, naltrexone is rarely prescribed for mild and moderate cases of alcohol dependence. Instead, we wait until things get untenable before providing pharmaceutical intervention. | Warm, welcoming, and accessible: Consistent with the brand we’ve been building since day one, Sunnyside Med creates an approachable starting point for anyone questioning their relationship with alcohol without sacrificing clinical rigor. |
| Stigmatized, shame-based, and difficult to talk about: Our entire vocabulary around alcohol dependence carries the weight of shame and moral failure. | 100% online, private, and discreet: Alcohol support is a perfect telehealth use case, with an asynchronous model that completely avoids judgment and scrutiny. |
| Gatekeeping due to treatment gap in primary care: Alcohol screens in the primary care setting are notoriously flaky, and when a doctor asks about alcohol consumption face-to-face, the patient tends to underreport. The miss rate on alcohol dependence diagnosis is incredibly high, preventing entry into care for many people who need it. | Direct-to-consumer reduces barriers to entry: Sunnyside Med’s DTC model gives members a path to accessing care on their own terms, when they’re ready. We do the screening and develop a personalized treatment plan based on the individual starting point, focus areas, and goals, eliminating structural barriers to accessing care. |
| One-size-fits-all approach: We’re stuck in an outdated model that suggests complete abstinence is the only path to recovery from alcohol dependence. A sobriety-only approach doesn’t appeal to the majority of drinkers. This model closes the door on those not open to complete sobriety. | Adapted to individual lifestyle and goals: Recognizing that there are as many paths as there are people on them, Sunnyside Med embraces a model of care that respects the goals and lifestyles of our members rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all agenda. Sunnyside Med is for drinking less or quitting, and we’re just as happy for either outcome. |
| Extremely high-cost late-stage interventions: Treating severe alcohol dependence with inpatient interventions is costly and inaccessible, with high rates of recidivism as well. | Affordable entry point for earlier intervention: Getting started early with a prevention-based mindset can be exponentially more cost-effective for both the member and the healthcare system. |
| Typically isolating and lonely: Those with alcohol dependence issues too often go it alone, isolating themselves from the people in their lives who could help. | Human connection at the core: Sunnyside revolves around community and human connection, reminding members that they are never alone on their journey. |
By opening the door for individuals to get started earlier on the path to healthier drinking, we’ll help millions avoid the negative consequences of long-term alcohol overuse. This is our reason for being.
Get started on your mindful drinking journey with a 15-day free trial of Sunnyside.
What is Sunnyside?
Sunnyside is a mindful drinking and alcohol moderation app that can help change your habits around alcohol using a proven, science-backed method. Whether you want to become a more mindful drinker, drink less, or eventually quit drinking, Sunnyside can help you reach your goals. We take a positive, friendly approach to habit change, so you never feel judged or pressured to quit.
When you join Sunnyside, you’ll start by completing a 3-minute private assessment so we can learn a bit about you. Once that’s done, you’ll get a 15-day free trial to test out everything, including our daily habit change tools, tracking and analytics, community and coaching, and education and resources. It’s a full package designed specifically to adapt to your goals and help you reach them gradually, so you can make a huge impact on your health and well-being.
Sunnyside is a digital habit and behavior-change program that is incredibly effective on its own, but can also be the perfect complement to other work you’re doing to cut down on drinking, whether that includes talk therapy or medication such as Naltrexone.
Get your 15-day free trial of Sunnyside today, and start living your healthiest life.
