When you are trying to recover from addiction, it can be hard to go to friends and family for support if they have never been through your experiences. Sponsor can provide a great source of comfort and will act as your mentor through your recovery. According to an Alcoholics Anonymous survey, 79% of alcoholics have sponsors. These are people who have been in the program who have achieved sobriety and helped someone stop their addiction by giving advice and answering questions. Picking a sponsor should not be taken lightly because that person should help you succeed in sobriety.
The perfect sponsor should be someone who has had the same experiences when trying to be sober and has suffered negative consequences from their addiction. Before picking a sponsor, ask this potential person if they have completed the twelve steps, if they have had experience as a sponsor before, and if they are even allowed to be a sponsor. This should also be someone who has been sober for a year to five years and has completed the twelve steps in their program.
Remember that a sponsor is there to help you in your recovery so this should not be an opportunity for romance. If you are straight, it is best to find a sponsor who is the same gender and vice versa for those who are homosexual. A sponsor should also be a source of inspiration who will try to motivate you to join group activities or find a common mistake if you are doing something wrong. This person can also show you how enjoyable the sober life is and has a positive outlook on his/her life. Make sure that this is a sponsor that you find at a recovery group instead of at a bar.
The most important thing to find in a sponsor is for that person to be someone you can trust and relate to instead of ordering you, trying to fix you, or making you feel inferior. They should be someone that you should not be afraid to call on the phone for help in fear of judgment. This person should also have enough time to talk to you during the week. If you are intimidated to approach someone in your recovery group about being a sponsor, call or send a text to ask because a majority of the time, they will agree to help you.
Castle Craig Hospital is a landmark of addiction and mental health treatment in Scotland, serving the UK, the EU, and patients from all over the world. Our commitment to long term abstinence has created a successful program of clinical and complementary therapies for mind, body, and spirit. Serving over 10,000 patients for more than 25 years, the Castle Craig model is proven in changing lives. Call our 24 hour free confidential phone-line for information: 01721 546 263. From outside the UK please call: +44 808 271 7500
