Recovery from drug or alcohol addiction is a life-long process as relapse may happen any time after the rehab treatment. That is the reason why getting an AA sponsor is important for recovery. Especially if you are participating in a The Next Step Chiang Mai’s 12-step sober living program, you need someone who will be with you beyond going to group meetings.
What is an addiction sponsor?
A sponsor, when it comes to drug or alcohol addiction, is someone who was an addict in a long period of recovery and is willing to help a newly recovering addict during the recovery-from-addiction stage.
What is an AA sponsor? Well, when participating in a 12-step program (created by the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous), the help and guidance of an AA sponsor is beneficial for your complete recovery. He or she is someone of the same gender who has been in recovery for over a year already, has been guided by a sponsor, and is currently active in the 12 Steps community.
A sponsor is like a good friend, a mentor, and a guardian on the way to recovery. While he or she helps you understand the 12 Steps, he or she still shows respect towards your views and beliefs.
What are the primary roles of an AA sponsor?
To help you work the 12 Steps and understand its purpose in your path to recovery is the primary role of a sponsor. He or she can also become your good listener whenever you feel down and frustrated, or your direct conscience when you feel like going into a relapse. Aside from those already mentioned, there are other AA sponsor responsibilities that you need to know about.
- An AA sponsor is your role model for the entire phase of recovery. He or she can help you live a sober a life through his or her guidance, as well as keep you from a relapse.
- An AA sponsor is your direct source of information and guidance as you work through The Rooms in the 12 Steps program. He or she can help you explain basic concepts and terminologies.
- He or she can provide you motivation, encouragement, ears that listen, and a heart that can feel your fears. He or she can also introduce you to other members of the 12 Steps community and can help you establish positive relationships with other recovering addicts.
What does an AA sponsor do aside from those previously mentioned? Well, another thing that he or she can do is help you become a sponsor yourself. Through his or her guidance and mentoring sessions, you can present yourself as a sponsor to other newly recovering addicts.
Why is sponsorship important in recovery?
Sponsorship isn’t only beneficial for newly recovering addicts, as how most people perceive it. Becoming an AA sponsor is beneficial as well. Helping someone who is recovering from drug and alcohol addiction can help a sponsor stay more focused, grounded, and motivated in his or her own recovery.
On the other hand, a newly recovering addict can also benefit from sponsorship by being properly guided throughout the entire process of recovery. Newcomers to the recovery phase of addiction rehab can most likely feel frustration and self-pity. But because of the sympathy and care given by their sponsors, they can strongly overcome the challenges and make a smoother transition to sober living.
Whether you’re looking to be a sponsor or are needing recovery help yourself, we at The Next Step Chiang Mai can be of great help. Find out more about our services by checking out our website https://tnschiangmai.com/ or emailing us through [email protected].