When Is It A Good Idea To Become A Sponsor?

You have completed your addiction recovery in South Florida and have had many successful years of recovery. When you think about your years of successful recovery, you know you could never have gotten this far without hard work and the guidance of your sponsor. Now, you are considering becoming a sponsor to someone else. 

This is a big responsibility, and you may not be sure if you have the characteristics that it takes to guide someone down a path of sobriety. If you don’t know where to begin, here are some questions to ask yourself to help you make a decision.

Have I Completed All The Steps?

Some people think it’s important for a sponsor to have completed all 12 steps of the program before becoming a sponsor. Being well-versed in the steps will never be enough – you must have worked the steps, as well. However, if you have at least one year of sobriety and have gone through significantly more steps than the person you may be sponsoring, you will have experience and knowledge to share with them and that may be enough. However, if you don’t feel comfortable becoming a sponsor until you have completed all 12 steps, don’t be afraid to suggest another person as a sponsor.

What Are The Risks?

When you sponsor someone, it is likely that they will contact you when they want to use. You should be in a comfortable position in your sobriety to navigate temptation even when it’s directly in front of you.  

Can You Handle Their Relapse?

You can’t make decisions for this person. All you can do is offer suggestions and guidance. In the end, the decision is ultimately theirs. If your sponsee relapses, it’s important to ask yourself how this could affect you. You should be in a good enough place to understand that you did your job in trying to lead them away from substance abuse. Furthermore, just because your sponsee has relapsed does not mean they have failed. Relapse is a common part of recovery. The most important thing is to get back on the horse and try again.

Are You Attracted To The Person?

You shouldn’t let anything affect your judgment when it comes time to effectively getting your point across to your sponsee. As a result, you should have no romantic feelings for or be attracted to this person in any way. This will be a long-term relationship and it’s important that you feel comfortable working closely with this person in a constructive manner.

Should They Follow In Your Footsteps?

Your sponsee may look to your daily activities as an example of how to live sober. There are many tasks that people must commit to in order to ensure sobriety, like daily readings, meditation, prayers, and regular meeting attendance. If you are not doing these things yourself, it may be difficult to suggest another person do them.

Are You Afraid To Tell The Truth?

If you only want to be the good guy, becoming a sponsor may not be right for you. As a sponsor, it’s important to tell people what they need to hear even if it isn’t what they want to hear. Some people are less receptive to hearing the truth than others. If your sponsee is not cooperating with you, let them know that you can no longer be their sponsor and explain the reasons why.

Talk To Your Sponsor

If someone has asked you to become their sponsor and you’re questioning this decision, talk to your own sponsor. They may know your strengths better than you – the same goes for your weaknesses. Find out if they think it’s a good idea to encourage another person on a life of sobriety. If they think you can, but you don’t, you may be selling yourself short.

The Sands Treatment Center

If there is someone you know who will benefit from addiction recovery in South Florida, contact The Sands Treatment Center. Using one-on-one counseling and group therapy, we help patients develop relapse prevention skills. Our professionals are dedicated to getting you on the right track as quickly and effectively as possible. To learn more about the areas we specialize in, call (844)200-2509.