Do you ever feel your friends or family don’t quite understand what you are going through? Do you struggle to make connections in your community recovery circles? Are you nervous about seeking help from others in your recovery journey? Do you feel like you are going through recovery alone? The opposite of addiction isn’t just sobriety; it’s a connection, as addiction breeds loneliness. A sober companion can positively impact your recovery journey as it provides you with companionship, guidance, accountability, and support.
Although recovery is centered around connection, it can sometimes be difficult to connect with others who understand and support you, especially if you are in a lonely and dark place during your battle with addiction.
What is a sober companion?
A sober companion is a trained professional in the addiction and recovery service who provides one-on-one support during your recovery journey. They are knowledgeable about the challenges associated with addiction as they have walked this path before, they are compassionate, they are responsible, and they will help guide you and hold you accountable. They are the perfect mixture of a friend and an informal addiction therapist.
Maybe you have completed detox and rehab but are looking for someone to help you navigate the real world outside of treatment. Maybe you want a little extra help as you enter addiction treatment. Maybe you have been in recovery for many years but are struggling with a life stressor and need guidance on how to overcome this challenge without succumbing to your addiction. Maybe you recently relapsed and need help figuring out your next steps.
A sober companion can play a pivotal support role regardless of where you are on your road to recovery. This individual can be an additional asset to your addiction treatment program.
What does a sober companion do?
A sober companion offers you mentorship, guidance, accountability, and support throughout your recovery journey. They can provide the following services:
- Accompany you to therapy appointments, doctor appointments, and support groups.
- Helping to guide you when making amends to your loved ones
- Provide support when you are having a bad day or navigating through a difficult life struggle or transition
- Offering you on-call support when you are having urges or cravings
- Providing you tools to improve your coping skills, such as mindfulness techniques
- Providing a safe space in everyday life, such as helping you run errands, sharing meals with you, etc.
- Holding you accountable for any unhealthy behaviors, relationships, or red flags they witness.
- Facilitating building and renewing past relationships with loved ones that you may have hurt during your battle with addiction.
Sober companions for the high-level professional
Sober companions come in all shapes and sizes. They can be on call for you 24/7, live with you, or work several hours a week or month with you. Some sober companions exclusively work with high-level executives, physicians, attorneys, politicians, and celebrities who use alcohol and drugs to numb their unhealthy stress levels. These high-level professionals work long hours and are under intense pressure to perform, and although many seek help from conventional routes such as rehab, others are fearful that seeking this form of treatment will sabotage their career and reputation. As an alternative, they hire a sober companion to help them navigate their addiction in private. Sober companions can help build psychological safety for people who may not want to reveal that they are in addiction recovery and provide confidential support and critical connection.
How can I benefit from a sober companion?
Hiring a sober companion is a decision you must make on your own. There is no right or wrong answer to why you have chosen to work with a sober companion. Sober companions can help you establish goals, the most basic being self-care, which includes personal hygiene, a nutritious diet, and daily exercise. Other goals involve adopting daily practices to help you reinforce your recovery. Sober companions can also help you establish healthy boundaries with your friends, family, and career. As you become more steadfast in your recovery, you can focus on healthy mindsets to help you navigate relationships and your professional life.
How can I find a sober companion?
Sober companions can be expensive, ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars a day, so they may not be the best fit for everyone. Suppose you are interested in hiring a sober companion. In that case, you can start by contacting a recovery addiction program such as AKUA Mind and Body, as they may know reputable individuals within their alumni program. You can also search online or ask friends and family who have been through the recovery journey. Sober companions do not have any formal education in the addiction profession, nor are they credentialed or regulated by any organization; therefore, it may be tricky to find a qualified sober companion, so make sure to spend some time finding the right fit.
