Many people have heard of sponsors in relation to AA, but what is a sober companion? Sober companions are people who help you with your recovery, specifically providing individualized emotional, social, and physical support so that you can stay sober.
What is a Sober Companion?
A sober companion is a person who provides continuous support for an individual at early stages of recovery. A sober companion might be a volunteer or they might be a professional for whose services you pay.
Sober companions are divided into short-term or long-term companions.
A short-term companion is generally hired when there is a significant risk, such as a risk of relapse. This is a professional that you might hire or work with if, for example, you have completed your treatment program for drug or alcohol addiction, but you are going through a particularly stressful change in life that puts you at risk for relapse.
A long-term companion is generally hired for long-term stability, and they might live with you over the span of several weeks or months.
No matter the length of their stay, a sober companion is someone whose purpose is to be available 24 hours per day and to support you in staying sober.
Things a Sober Companion Can Do
In addition to generally helping you maintain your sobriety, a sober companion can help with several other areas.
Routines
One of the things that a sober companion can do is to help you establish healthy routines after treatment. You might have a sober companion who lives with you or who comes to your home every day to ensure that you are abiding by your healthy routine. This can be particularly important for those who have already finished treatment and need continual support.
Meetings
Another thing that a sober companion can do is ensure you are attending all of your necessary meetings. If you have virtual substance abuse treatment, your sober companion might be there before your virtual sessions to help you log on and sit with you while you complete your meeting.
If you are participating in other support groups like NA or AA, your sober companion might ensure you go to those meetings with regularity, attending with you or escorting you to them.
Careers
A sober companion can help you with more practical day-to-day items, not just establishing a routine and staying abstinent, but focusing on your career and finding a new set of goals that you wish to achieve, and then meeting those goals. This might be figuring out the type of educational requirements you need for a new job or to reestablish your license if you lost it as a result of drugs and alcohol.
Socialization
For many people, socializing is difficult immediately after treatment for drugs or alcohol. With help from a sober companion, you can learn how to socialize without turning to drugs or alcohol. They can help you build a network of supportive, sober friends or find activities you like that are sober and safe.
Self-Esteem
Super companions can help you build self-esteem, learn to regulate your emotions, identify personal triggers, and apply appropriate coping mechanisms that may have been introduced to you during your individual or group therapy. They can also work with you to use the lessons learned during support group meetings or virtual substance abuse treatment throughout your everyday activities.
Getting Sober Support with Aligned Living
At Aligned Living, we have several forms of aftercare programs and online recovery programs offered to people who are in recovery. If you are working with a sober companion, we can find programs that help you develop critical life skills or find support groups based on your needs that also incorporate your sober companion.
Overall, a sober companion is a person who is there for you when you are going through a particularly stressful time and are at high risk of relapse or when you start your recovery and need a little bit of extra support. They can serve multiple roles depending on personal needs, not least of which includes offering support in establishing a routine and ensuring you participate in meetings or virtual substance abuse treatment.
Reach out to us today for help with your addiction and find the right type of virtual care.