What is a Sponsor for Addicts?

A sponsor for addicts can help you improve your treatment outcomes, particularly improve your attendance in support group meetings and group therapy meetings, and help you get more out of those meetings. Studies indicate that those who have a relationship with a sponsor will do better in the long term. 

Yes. A sponsor is not there to be your therapist, not someone who gives you professional help. They might seem like a friend, but they should be thought of more as a confidant or mentor to whom you can turn for honest and objective feedback. You should find someone you respect and trust and, above all, someone with whom you are comfortable.

Technically, a sponsor for addicts is a senior member of AA and NA groups. This means they are often associated with these organizations. However, there are alternatives to AA and NA, like SMART recovery, and there is no reason you cannot connect with someone more advanced in their recovery and ask them for help. 

Yes, you can end an existing relationship with a sponsor and pick a new one at any time. What matters most is that you are comfortable with the person you choose, so if the sponsorship is not working for you, you can thank your sponsor for their time and then work to find a new one.

Yes! Research indicates that participating with a sponsor through a 12-step program results in much longer abstinence and higher motivation compared to those without a sponsor. This became particularly true of people who maintained a relationship with their sponsor at the 6-month and 12-month markers, where the majority of people reported that they believed their sponsor helped improve their situation. 

Research has found that the strength of the relationship you have with your sponsor will increase over time and increase your abstinence over time. This means that finding and maintaining a sponsor after 3 months can be very helpful, but maintaining that same sponsor or at least a sponsor after one year is even more helpful. Scientific studies have found that maintaining engagement with a sponsor makes it more likely that you will continue to participate in your 12-step activities or similar steps. 
How long you need to work with the sponsor is up to you. Generally, at some point in your recovery, you might be asked to be someone else’s sponsor as well. 

Once you have a sponsor, make sure you set boundaries with them upfront, such as when you prefer to communicate, like morning or night time, whether you prefer a text message or email. Talk openly with your sponsor about what they prefer as well and find a good solution. You will be expected to work your way through the 12 steps, and in some cases, you might have homework that’s assigned to you. 
Try to do your best with that and try to talk primarily with your sponsor about the 12-step program, addiction, and recovery. Remember that they might not have every answer, and you are always welcome to maintain a working relationship with a therapist for additional support.

While it is not required, once you have been in recovery for more than a year, you might be asked to be someone’s sponsor yourself. If you choose to accept that, make sure that you are comfortable with that sponsorship and willing to accept the responsibility.