A Financial Safety Net for Recovery

We built Pistachio Pay for neurodivergent adults, but the truth is, we are designing for human behavior.

In product design, there is something called the curb cut effect. When you design a solution for a specific, marginalized group, you often end up creating a tool that benefits everyone.

Right now, I am thinking a lot about the addiction and recovery community.

Research shows that about 23% of adults entering treatment for a substance use disorder also meet the criteria for ADHD. The overlap between neurodivergence and addiction is significant, yet the financial tools many people receive as they reenter society are often the same ones that failed them in the first place.

We also know that financial stress is a well documented contributor to relapse risk. With NIDA reporting relapse rates of 40% to 60%, handing someone a standard debit card leaves zero friction between an impulse and a potentially life changing decision.

Willpower is not enough. People need structural accountability.

That is why we are taking a different approach with Pistachio Pay. We are designing a system to intercept that impulse. Healthy friction, engineered for the exact moment it is needed most, alongside a secure accountability layer that can loop in a sponsor, therapist, or trusted family member before the money moves.

By reducing financial chaos and adding the right kind of accountability around spending, we believe we can remove one of the many stressors that can contribute to relapse.

We are not just creating a budgeting app. We are building a financial safety net for people who need one most.

If you are working in the recovery space, I would love to connect.