When we are starting out in recovery, many of us choose to be linked with a sponsor. We can find sponsors through our support groups, treatment centers, therapists or other trusted support systems. When we are paired with sponsors, they are usually in recovery for the same addiction types we’ve struggled with. They have firsthand experience with the same issues we’ve been living with. Their personal connection with the struggles of addiction make them an especially helpful resource for us in recovery. Sometimes in therapy we can feel removed from the process, and we don’t necessarily feel a connection with our therapist, because we don’t share a common bond of living through the difficulties of addiction. Sponsors, on the other hand, can connect with us on a deeper level, they can empathize with us, and they have direct personal experience with similar issues. This can help us to feel heard and understood. It can help us to realize we’re not alone in our pain. It can help us to stop isolating ourselves so much. It can help lift our mood and make us feel less depressed. Connecting with a sponsor can be a lifesaving way of getting the consistent emotional support we need that is so critical to staying on track. When we were using, we may have reached out to loved ones for support. While they oftentimes had our best interest at heart and genuinely wanted to support us, if they themselves aren’t addicts, the ways in which they could help us were limited. The personal experience that our sponsors have that comes from living with addiction and being in recovery is an invaluable resource for us. We can learn important lessons from them, on how to navigate the recovery process, how to modify our routines to accommodate our new sober lifestyles, how to create new lives for ourselves. Sponsors have practical tips and suggestions for all the things we might have questions about. They can offer helpful guidance when we’re struggling. One of our biggest challenges after treatment can be dealing with the addictive urges that can overwhelm and tempt us. Our sponsor is someone we can call when we are in those moments of confusion and panic. They can help us to process our feelings and navigate those difficult circumstances. When we are feeling particularly low, they can be there to offer encouragement, inspiration and hope. Our sponsor can become a close friend and ally, and their support can make all the difference in our recovery.
Our treatment programs include aftercare relapse prevention support. Call 1-888-986-7848 for more information.
