The answer to the question, “What is an AA sponsor?” is complex. Keep in mind that addiction recovery is hard. If we are to be successful, we will need all the help we can get.
That’s where an AA sponsor comes in.
Getting started in a 12 step program and beginning any process of recovery from addiction takes effort. From initially asking for help, to seeking some type of addiction treatment when appropriate, to getting an AA sponsor, takes courage, work and persistence.
Becoming a member at 12 step AA meetings is a great place listen to others recovery program shares to get a sense of their experience, strength and hope. Anyone can give you advice. It’s much more palatable to hear another person’s experience in addressing their addiction issues and solving problems that may match your own.
A Good AA Sponsor
A good sponsor should, of course, be a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, or another 12 step recovery program. Also, a sponsor should be someone who “has what you want”, either spiritually, emotionally, materially, or any number of other measures. In other words, a sponsor should possess and practice some form of recovery from drug abuse or addiction that is attractive to you.
It is also generally recommended that AA sponsors and sponsees be of the same sex. Romantic relationships and sexual attraction are thereby avoided. There is no better way to stall your own recovery process; avoid choosing a sponsor that is that you are sexually attracted to.
Sponsoring someone involves taking time out from your own life to answer questions, listen to and share with someone in need. Allowing another person to get a sense of peace, and the ability to feel safe and secure, even while struggling with their own sobriety, is the highest form of 12 step service a person can render.
Sponsorship Relationship
Keep in mind that you as the sponsee are also being of service to the person you choose as a sponsor. You may actually be helping another AA member in whole, by allowing them to help you.
Success in your recovery will depend on a number of things. One of the most important being the choice of the right AA sponsor. It should, of course, be an individual that has successfully used the 12 steps to deal with their own addiction/alcoholism.
Better outcomes in recovery depend a great deal on your relationship with the sponsor that you choose. Trust and accountability are an important part of the recovery process, as are working the steps and attending meetings regularly.
What Does A Sponsor Do?
The assistance of a sponsor when you begin working the steps is indispensable, therefore, it is important that you choose someone that you can trust, being confident that they will not share your information with anyone else.
A sponsor can be a mentor, and answer questions you may have about navigating new sobriety. A sponsor is someone who has received the benefits of staying sober and working the steps, and is willing to share their experience, strength and hope with you.
Most importantly, a sponsor is someone tasked with the responsibility of “carrying the message” embodied in the 12 steps, to another suffering alcoholic or addict.
How to Find a Sponsor
If you are attending meeting on your own or from within some type of addiction treatment for drug abuse, eating disorder, alcoholism or any number of other addictions, it is, of course, very advisable to begin to develop a relationship with someone, also in recovery, with a person with whom you share something in common.
If we addicts and alcoholics are to live sober at all, we need guidance, and a good aa sponsor, someone to be honest with, and accountable to. AA sponsors are people that can assist us in our day to day struggles and give us guidance to solve the occasional seemingly unsolvable problems that arise.
Regular attendance at meetings is a great way to find a sponsor. You can get to know people and become known, yourself. Listening to others share how they maintain sobriety, listening for the similarities, rather than the differences, can guide you to choose someone whose experience closely matches your own.
Alcoholics Anonymous Sponsor
One of the main benefits of having a good sponsor is the knowledge you gain about yourself. Your own recovery depends on your ability to become responsible, to yourself as well as others. And this, in turn, means being accountable for your actions.
Remember that good AA sponsors, and those that engage in sponsorship in other 12 step recovery programs, understand the importance of anonymity and confidentiality.
Addiction to alcohol, mental illness, and other issues that are unique to each person. From substance use disorder, to alcohol abuse, to a process addiction such as sexually compulsive behaviors, all require assistance and constant effort in order to deal with the challenges we face in our recovery process. AA sponsors are there to help us. But it is important to know that sponsors are not therapsists.
Alcoholics Anonymous is the original 12-Step Program
Alcoholics Anonymous is of course the oldest and most established group of the many 12 step programs available. Because of that, AA tends to have a multitude of people with long term sobriety. And the benefit of that is if you are lucky enough to have a desire to stop drinking, you will have many individuals who are more than willing to help someone new to recovery find what they have found – a new way of living.
Of course, AA isn’t the only game in town. There are currently as many 12 step programs as there are addictions. With in-person as well as virtual meetings, addiction recovery has never been more attainable and accessible than it is now.
Attendance at meetings can help us get a new perspective on ourselves and our lives. Most people who attend meetings on a regular basis find that their personal views and beliefs about themselves and others have changed for the better, over time.
12 Step Meetings
12 Step meetings are a great place to connect with other individuals who are, like you, attempting to deal with their addiction; people that are trying to come to terms with the wreckage their addiction has caused in their lives.
AA literature is yet another resource that can help us stay sober. For instance the book Alcoholics Anonymous has clear cut instructions on how to begin your recovery. Additionally, it contains the stories of recovered alcoholics’ past experiences of alcohol use and their early recovery using the support tools to avoid relapse.
Maintain Sobriety
We addicts, alcoholics and others with addictions have tried for years to get sobriety and deal with self made calamity by ourselves. The great news that 12 step recovery brings is that we are not alone anymore. It is not only possible to achieve sobriety but to also feel comfortable and supported while doing so.
We, who once felt that our particular issues were unique, who had tried to hide our particular reality from others because we felt they would not understand can now be free of these old ideas as well as the alcohol use that has imprisoned us for so long.
Availability of Your Prospective AA Sponsor
Of course, the availability of your prospective sponsor is important. For instance, it is a good idea to try to choose a person that attends the same meeting you do. That way you both can allow time either before or after the meeting to connect on an individual basis..
Remember that addiction never takes a day off. Recovery from alcohol use disorder or any other addictive behavior requires daily maintenance.
Therefore, being a good listener is also an important quality in a sponsor. Giving advice is easy. However, it is more valuable for someone to share their experience, where appropriate.
Sponsorship
Sponsorship works both ways. A good AA sponsor is someone with whom you can share your own experience, strength and hope, as well as listening when they are struggling with their own issues.
In the book Alcoholics Anonymous, we are told that we must give away what we find in recovery. One of the best ways to fulfill that suggestion is by being an AA sponsor yourself. Being a mentor to someone newer than you, and passing along the knowledge you have gained through your own recovery, can enrich your 12 step program, and energize your progress in sobriety.
Alcoholics Anonymous World Services
For more information contact Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. This body oversees the publication, translation and distribution of A.A. literature.
Also, The General Service Office serves as a hub of communication for A.A. groups in the U.S. and Canada and as an exchange point for A.A. experience accumulated over the years. The staff at GSO coordinate a wide array of activities and services.
Turning Point of Tampa
The Turning Point of Tampa treats substance abuse and mental health known as a cooccuring or dual disorder. Our addiction treatment program strongly suggests that while clients are in treatment, they obtain a sponsor, develop a support network and attend 12 step meetings on a daily basis. The addiction recovery process stresses addressing physical, emotional as well as spiritual wellness.
Turning Point of Tampa has community 12 step meetings on the property including: Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous and Nar-Anon. 12 step members and sponsors from the recovery community also attend these AA meetings to support our clients with sponsorship.
Additionally, Turning Point of Tampa offers after-care group which is facilitated by a therapist, as well as an alumni support group; both of which are free of charge
Turning Point of Tampa is licensed by The Florida Department of Children and Families and is also accredited by The Joint Commission, which is reviewed annually.
If you do not have insurance coverage Turning Point of Tampa has a self pay rate.
Since 1987, Turning Point of Tampa’s goal is to always provide a safe environment and a solid foundation in 12-Step principals. If you need help or know someone who does, please contact our admissions department 24 hrs per day.
