The German digital counseling platform DigiSucht offers a new low-threshold access to anonymous and free addiction counseling. On October 17, 2022, a comprehensive professional advisory service for people at risk of addiction and those suffering from addiction and their relatives went online nationwide. At www.suchtberatung.digital residents of Germany have the opportunity to register anonymously and use a comprehensive range of digital counseling services that can be accessed from any standard device (smartphone, tablet, laptop). The online platform offers a cross-provider, hybrid counseling concept, which on the one hand offers the possibility of digitally supported on-site counseling (blended counseling) and on the other hand a repertoire of digital tools that offer users comprehensive information and self-tests.
The platform is now starting its nationwide model phase with the topics alcohol, cannabis and gambling. More topics will be added as the platform develops. The aim of the DigiSucht platform is to support outpatient addiction counseling with a digital service and to create additional access channels.
DigiSucht is a project funded by the Federal Ministry of Health ( BMG ), which is available to the population in 14 federal states. The Delphi Society for Research, Consulting and Project Development in Berlin is responsible for implementation. The technical implementation is carried out by Virtual Identity AG. Technically, the DigiSucht platform is based on open source software from the German Caritas Association (DCV), which has been used successfully for several years for cross-thematic online advice and whose development was also funded by the federal government.