It is practically impossible to overestimate the importance of family and friends for those individuals who are in recovery from addiction. Support from family or friends can bring comfort and strength to a person in recovery, helping to bring the addict one step closer to sobriety. Family and close friends may be a support network to a recovering addict, but there is another helping hand that is an increasingly beneficial role in addiction recovery: a sponsor.

A sponsor is an individual who has first-hand experience with addiction and has been successful in recovery. The sponsor acts as a mentor, providing support and guidance to a recovering addict. The bond between a sponsor and a sponsoree (the person being sponsored) is essentially a companionship wherein the recovering addict and the sponsor work together to help the addict successfully navigate the challenges of recovery.

Each sober sponsor-sponsor relationship is unique — some roles may be more like therapists, while others could be more conversational. Typically, a recovering addict and their sponsor will meet on a regular basis to check on the addict’s progress. The sponsor could also provide guidance and review relapse prevention plans. However, the recovering addict and their sponsor may also use their time together to simply to talk.

Sponsoring a recovering addict is increasingly recognized as an invaluable form of support for those in recovery. In fact, involvement of a sponsor is even viewed as a contributing factor in long-term sobriety. A sponsor can provide an addict in recovery with tools and resources to help the addict stay on the path of sobriety. These vital support resources may include counsel, referral for additional therapy resources, 24-hour support hotlines, and even just being a sympathetic ear.

Sponsors can be an invaluable source of ongoing emotional encouragement. As recovering addicts may go through complex emotional experiences during the recovery process, it can be helpful to have a sponsor who can provide comfort and validation and who understands where the addict is coming from. This is especially important in cases where a recovering addict may not have a support system in place, such as when family members or friends do not understand the addiction, or if the addict is estranged from his or her support network.

Sponsoring a recovering addict comes with its own set of rewards. As a sponsor, you could gain insight about yourself by assisting another individual in recovery from addiction. You may be able to better understand your own story of addiction, provide spiritual guidance, and reinforce your own commitment to your own path to sobriety. Additionally, you could expand your network of recovery friends and reconnect with your own recovery program.

Sponsoring a recovering addict can also help you to foster better communication skills, increase your self-confidence, and improve your outlook on life. By guiding a person on their path to sobriety, sponsors can be a role model and demonstrate how one can be successful in recovery.

Ultimately, sponsoring a recovering addict can be an incredibly powerful form of support and perseverance. By working together, the addict and the sponsor can make tremendous strides towards individual and collective success in sobriety.