A recovery sponsor is a recovering or recovered addict who is available to guide and help another recovering addict. This is usually a one-to-one relationship. This is a useful system for a number of reasons. Many recovering addicts that attend support group meetings do not get all the answers there. Sometimes, issues crop up between meetings. At such times, a sponsor can be of immense help by being there with support and answers.
A sponsor can play a very important role in helping addicts achieve sobriety by being there to listen when an addict wants somebody to talk to, offering useful suggestions to stay sober, providing tips to successfully complete the treatment course, informing about the pitfalls to avoid, guiding about the best ways to spend time and useful activities to engage in, tracking progress and giving feedback.
A sponsor can also provide invaluable help to the family of the addict by providing them with useful information on the things the family can do to ease a recovering addict’s path to complete rehabilitation.
Usually, people volunteer to be sponsors. Recovering addicts can make a request for a sponsor in the group sessions that they attend. A potential sponsor may agree straightaway to help and mentor a fellow recovering addict, or he may suggest that the two parties hold a preliminary meeting to understand each other better. It is possible that a person may agree to sponsor a recovering addict for a short period of time, maybe as a stop-gap sponsor. It is also possible that a sponsor who already has more than one sponsee to care for, may refuse to accept further responsibility. He may suggest another person.
Addicts, when they attend meetings, get an idea of the recovery paths that people took.They can form opinions about people, and also have them corroborated with fellow attendees. Usually, people who earn the respect of the new recovering addicts, and impress with their honesty, are more likely to be approached. As a general rule, one is not supposed to approach somebody for whom there may be sexual feelings. Such a situation can lead to awkwardness, and affect the sponsor-sponsee relationship.
Generally speaking, a sponsor should have spent at least one year completely sober, and he should have a thorough understanding of the steps involved with the recovery program that he has attended. He should have first-hand knowledge about managing life during and after recovery.
There is no real “right time” for getting a sponsor. The sooner you get a sponsor, the better it will be for your recovery efforts. A sponsor can always be changed if the relationship is not fruitful for the recovering addict. Very often, such relationships progress to a healthy and beneficial friendship that can last a long time.
If you wish to learn about the role a sponsor can play in helping you overcome addiction, then The Villa Treatment Center can help you with information. We can also help you tie up with a sponsor who is a good fit for your requirements. Call us. 1-818-639-7160