Attendees of 12-step meetings learn early on that the secret to sustaining abstinence and quality recovery is securing a sponsor.
What Is A Sponsor?
A sponsor is a recovery-friendly advisor and support person who acts as a newcomer’s mentor. They are sober for at least a year, having also gone through the program. This role is not meant to be paternal. A sponsor will not approach you; you have to approach them. Sponsors are here to guide you away from self-destruction.
Rynes and Tonigan point out that sponsorship is an essential element of the 12-step approach to recovery from substance abuse. “[R]esearch has shown that having a sponsor is associated with increased involvement in 12-step programs and improved outcomes.”
As a result, the two hypothesize the relationship between a sponsor and a stronger recovery lies in increasing “one’s abstinence-based social network.”
The researchers tested their hypothesis by looking back at five different case studies.
Rynes and Tonigan conclude further study is necessary to reach more conclusions.”Results suggest that the prospective association between sponsorship and abstinence is not explained by increases in the abstinence-based social network and demonstrate the need for future studies to use rigorous and time-lagged methods to test social support for abstinence as a mediator of the effects of 12-step involvement.”
Reach Out For Help With Addiction
If you or a loved one wants to learn more about our substance use programs, please reach out to us today. Our admissions team is available 24/7 at (877)-RECOVERY to answer your questions.
Reference:
Do social networks explain 12-step sponsorship effects? | National Library of Medicine
