When you volunteer to be a sponsor for an addict, you are much more than just an acquaintance to them. You serve as an important reminder to them of the valuable lessons of recovery that will help them get their lives back on track. People who sponsor addicts are not paid for their work. It is entirely on a volunteer basis. Often times, sponsors are former addicts who fought for a recovery of their own, and can offer invaluable insight to the recovering addict who is looking to them for support. Addiction service centers and networks are in need of reliable sponsors and are eager to generate interest.

Addiction is a largely misunderstood thing. Addicts are often met with more criticism than they are met with support in the world. Even recovering addicts who are fighting so hard to regain their lives often get their faults thrown in their faces. Addict sponsors are available to addicts to counteract the negative judgments and stigmas that they encounter in the world. Where their support system may not be reliable enough to lift them up when they are struggling, a sponsor will fit the role of supporter and encourager. This simple gesture can make more of a difference than a whole pile of self-help books. There is no kind of help that people respond more dramatically to than that of a caring relationship.

If you have the desire and the ability to volunteer as a sponsor to an addict, the addiction treatment services industry would love to hear from you. Simply contact any rehabilitation center, addiction treatment facility or addiction support organization in your area to plug yourself into the network. There is typically a screening process to determine your eligibility to serve as a sponsor, but it is not rigorous. Simply demonstrate your compassion for addiction and your desire to serve and empathize with those who are struggling with it and you can begin your personal journey of serving those who want to make a recovery. North America contains many rehabilitation centers that could greatly benefit from sponsor volunteer services, such as the overtaxed substance abuse treatment centers in downtown Los Angeles or the overcrowded drug rehabs in British Columbia.