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Sponsorship is a feature which is quintessential in addiction recovery. Some people who have achieved a sober and clean state after addiction, have achieved this with the influence of a sponsor. It has proven to be an effective tool in addiction recovery. Those who are in the stage of early recovery, getting a sponsor for addiction recovery is most times a theme of conversation. They are usually advised by other recovering addicts that they should get themselves a sponsor, and commence working together in the shortest possible time.

In addiction recovery, the addict needs a sponsor who knows a lot about sobriety, the 12 steps and has the capacity to be responsible to the person instead of being responsible for the person. A sponsor plays the role of a close friend alongside being a mentor and a guide.

In other cases, a sponsor is a person in recovery who has already gone through the 12-steps which are mentioned in the 12-step programme.

The basic role of a sponsor, is to aid their sponsee go through the 12-steps of any treatment schedule or plan they are working with. It could be a good ride for both sponsee and sponsor. The sponsee is a person who is very sober, alongside being honest and susceptible just like any other person.

A sponsor can also be a good source of providing addiction recovery information, which would contain their personal experiences, ups and down. They are also in the capacity to give great and beneficial tips on how to live a life which is free from alcohol or drugs.

In addition to this, a sponsor gives encouragement and motivation to a fresh sober person, thereby being a source of support and a listening ear.

Another benefit of having a sponsor, is being a source of accountability to the addict.

Now, there should be a clear disparity between what a sponsor is expected to do in the addiction recovery process, and what he is not meant to do.

Below are some things which the sponsor should not do:

  1. A sponsor is expected not to act as a psychologist or therapist
  2. A sponsor is expected not to take advantage of a sponsee

If any of the above points occur, it is expected that the relationship is dismissed immediately.

Making Sustainable Life Choices

sustainable lifeSustainability is officially a “buzz word,” but a very important one. The term sustainability as it is presently used originated with the “go-green” movement, which encouraged people to alter their lifestyles in order to help the planet’s health. Sustainability was used largely to describe the harvesting of energy sources of all varieties in a way that would renew the energy source at the same rate it depleted it. The use of this term broadened exponentially, however, and came to refer to any practice in life that gives resources back in equal measures as it takes them. In that sense, we can examine the fundamentals of life through the lens of sustainability to discover what the most essential things to human existence are.

  • Spirituality. Many people confuse spirituality and religion. The term spirituality essentially refers to where we draw the meaning of our lives from. This may be from a higher power, from a range of energies or from humanity itself, but it is considered by mental health experts to be one of the essentials for wholeness within a person.
  • Relationships. As social beings, relationships are an obvious necessity. Some people need an abundance of relationships while others only need a few, but companionship in some form or another is considered a necessary part of good mental health.
  • Health. Medical and mental health are key components of a satisfying existence. They are obvious methods of achieving a high quality of life. Good mental health dictates your moods and decision making, and good medical health gives a person access to a great deal more of what life has to offer. Teaching yourself how to maintain healthy sobriety and balance is very important to your well-being.
  • Purpose. Purpose can be thought of as a meaningful calling or simply as the thing that keeps a person occupied. Either way, having the drive to accomplish necessary tasks is a crucial part of being a balanced human being.

These four elements have been qualified by mental and behavioral health experts to be the most important elements of human existence. One could say that the most sustainable way of living is by incorporating these things in equal parts into your life. They may seem ambiguous in list form, but when each area is broken down and identified with, these four elements make for the most sustainable model of an individual’s life.

Embracing Spirituality

embrace spirituality

Why would spirituality be considered a sustainable life practice? After all, it is not something you can see, hear, taste or touch. The reason spirituality is a necessary component of a sustainable lifestyle is best explained by the findings of psychologists and mental health experts: spirituality is necessary to mental health. Spirituality is one of the four major ingredients to mental health, balance, sustainability and stability, as well as the answer to the question of morality.

Many people hear this and confuse spirituality with religion. Spirituality and religion are two entirely different things. Spirituality is a feeling of reverence while religion is an organized institution. In order for a person to be spiritual, they would have to believe in some type of metaphysical life force that interacts with our physical existence, and attribute their personal morality to that life force. Most spiritual people tend to reason that this metaphysical life force takes the form of entities: God, the devil, angels, demons, spirits, fairies, etc. Others believe the life force is a type of energy that is not organized into a conscious entity but still interacts with people, such as karma or a curse.  It is arguable that merely holding to a moral system or believing that purpose exists in the universe is a form of spirituality.

The reason spirituality if so important to mental health is because it closely dialogues with and informs the other key components of a balanced, sustainable life. Feeling a sense of purpose in life is strongly tied to the belief that life has meaning, and it is spirituality that informs a person’s life meaning. We often choose relationships with people who are of a similar spirituality as ourselves, and many people who are passionate about their health describe being healthy as good for the soul as well as good for the body. The stronger the life of the spirit, the stronger the connection between the elements of a sustainable lifestyle.

Living in Good Health

live healthyLiving in good health may seem like the most obvious sustainable lifestyle choice, and arguably, it is. Making an effort to take proper care of your body, based on current medical advice and common sense, can only improve your quality of life, not detract from it. Similarly, living in a way that aids the health of the planet can only serve to improve the collective experience of life on the planet. The more naturally one can live, the more sustainable.
Everyone is responsible for monitoring their own personal health, and the more diligently a person does this, the more sustainable their lifestyle is. A person in good health is more capable than a person in bad health. They are better able to function in the broad scheme of things. They are more active, energetic, productive and are less of a strain on social health services. But most importantly, they have a higher quality of life. Some good health practices are common sense: eat right, exercise regularly, get enough sleep and get a fair amount of sunshine. Some good health practices come from medical opinions, and apply to your own personal genetics and health profile. Both are important to sustaining good health. If a substance abuse problem is what stands between you and good health, your health problems are mental as well as physical and warrant the help of an substance abuse rehab.
Good health extends beyond your own person to the health of the environment around you. Only you are responsible for your personal health, but everyone is responsible for the health of the planet. This concept is where the popular usage of the word “sustainability” derives from. When you live in a way that is sustainable to the planet, you are living responsibly. Sustaining the planet’s health usually involves things such as eating natural, local food, growing your own food, recycling, composting, retrofitting your home to make it less energy using, commuting without a motorized vehicle and buying products that create less waste and are biodegradable. This is commonly referred to as “reducing your carbon footprint.”