Show HN: StopAddict – Quit addictions by leveling up every day you stay clean | Hacker News Reader

Show HN: StopAddict – Quit addictions by leveling up every day you stay clean

1 pointskyzouw3 comments

Hey HN,

I built StopAddict, a minimalist app that helps you quit addictions or bad habits by turning the process into a simple XP and level-up system.

Every day you stay clean, you earn XP. If you relapse, you don’t lose everything — just your momentum. The goal is to make progress feel tangible, without guilt, spam, or pressure.

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Why I built it:

Most addiction apps felt bloated, medical, or too serious. I just wanted a quiet space to track discipline — like a gamified habit tracker with no fluff.

I’m 18 and just getting started in SaaS. This is one of my first projects built solo in public (Next.js + MongoDB + Vercel).

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Features: • Track multiple addictions (ex: nicotine, porn, social media) • XP system + streaks + level • Anonymous & mobile-friendly • Dark mode (because of course)

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Upcoming: • Milestones & badges • Daily reflections • Optional community support (opt-in only)

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Would love feedback: • Does this resonate with you? • What would make it more helpful without overcomplicating it? • Are XP/streak mechanics motivating or too gamified?

Thanks for reading You can try it here: https://www.stopaddict.net/

Hey everyone – I’m the maker of StopAddict.

I built this because I was struggling with some bad habits and couldn’t find a tool that felt right. Most apps I tried felt clinical, overwhelming, or focused too much on guilt. I wanted something super simple that actually made me want to come back every day — like a game, but without the pressure.

I’m 18, and this is one of my first real SaaS projects. I’d love honest feedback from you all, especially: • Does the gamified approach make sense? • Should I add social features or keep it 100% solo? • What’s the one feature you’d expect but don’t see yet?

Thanks in advance — and if anyone’s building something similar or has shipped solo, I’d love to connect.

> If you relapse, you don’t lose everything — just your momentum.

Doesn't this minimize the effectiveness of the app? If relapsing is only as painful (in the app) as breaking a streak in your scoring, that is vastly less painful than the reality of a relapse. Have you researched what effect such a discrepancy would have on the level of motivation an addict would get from the app? Maybe that is better asked in a more general way: What research did you do into addiction and recovery when deciding on features in the app?

GDPR nightmare waiting to happen. Plus your support email (leclubvvp@gmail[.]com) has been found in 4 breaches which doesn't instill confidence.

$25 a month to basically keep a journal is very expensive too.

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