There are various ways to maintain your sobriety after leaving treatment, such as getting involved in the recovery community. A great way to do this is by giving back to the community through charities, volunteer work, helping with duties at meetings, or simply sharing your story. Giving back is vital to giving you a sense of purpose and helping out those who want to get to where you are in recovery. You can give back in ways that you see fit and where you feel needed. When life feels challenging, or you are starting to feel stuck in place in your recovery, consider giving back to boost your mood and motivation, as well as to help others.
What Are the Benefits of Giving Back?
The benefits of giving back to the recovery community are vast both for you and the people you are helping. The benefits for others in recovery include getting services they need or receiving the necessary encouragement to overcome their recovery obstacles. For you, giving back will help keep you connected to the community, which will keep you from isolating and keep you surrounded by like-minded sober people that support your sobriety. You will also begin to feel like you have a purpose in life, which can boost your self-esteem. You can develop your skills by doing the things you love as you give back.
How Do I Give Back?
Suppose you feel that you want to give back to the recovery community. In that case, your best course of action is to contact a local treatment center, check out the local support groups, become a sponsor, or see if you can volunteer in other places as well, such as a halfway house. State that you are in recovery yourself and want to know how you can help others getting sober. From there, you can be pointed in the right direction to where you are needed and can help.
Things to Do
If you want to volunteer on your own, there are still things you can do to make a difference. You don’t have to be a professional to help others. You just need the desire to do so. As you consider your options, don’t forget these great opportunities for giving back!
Become a Sponsor
If you feel up to it, consider becoming someone’s sponsor to help guide them through treatment and the overall recovery process. You can become a role model for an individual going through recovery, giving advice, and support as needed. Being a sponsor will also help you maintain your sobriety – it is crucial to be sober as you sponsor someone else. Be open, welcoming, and kind as you work with your sponsee.
Volunteer for a Commitment
If you aren’t feeling up to sponsorship just yet, that’s okay! You can volunteer for a commitment to a support group instead. These typically occur at twelve-step meetings and include volunteer tasks such as running a meeting, reading an excerpt from the Big Book, putting out chairs, or collecting donation money. These are simple tasks that allow you to give back on your own time and don’t require too much effort.
Become a Resource
You might be familiar with the perpetual stigma that often faces those struggling with addiction and mental health. A great way to give back to the community while simultaneously fighting against this stigma is by becoming an educational resource for people in your community. You can give talks or simply talk about your experience to help the general public understand more about addiction and the recovery process. This way, people can better understand, and the stigma can be reduced one step at a time.
Donate to Charity
If you have a busy schedule and can’t give back in a more in-depth approach, don’t worry! You can give back by donating to a charity or organization of your choice that supports addiction recovery. Every little bit counts, so don’t be afraid that you are doing too little. Donations go a long way because recovery needs funding, and you can help this cause by donating what you can.
Lend an Ear
Make it known that you are there to listen to others that need to talk to someone or need advice. Lend them your ear and be there for those that just need someone to listen to them. Remember how you felt in early recovery, so be there for individuals in that place.
Giving back to the recovery community is excellent not only for the individuals you will be helping, but it will boost your recovery too. Giving back will improve your self-confidence, hold you accountable in your recovery, and keep you connected to the recovery community. Depending on what you want to do to give back, there are many options to choose from. If you wish to go all-in and devote your time to being someone’s sponsor or simply donate to a charity that supports recovery, you can make a difference in the lives of those working on getting sober. Think back to the times you were struggling and hesitant about recovery, and use it as your motivation when giving back to others. At Everlast Recovery Centers, we want to see you succeed in your recovery. It warms our hearts to see our alumni giving back to this beautiful community. For more information regarding volunteer opportunities, give us a call today at 866-DETOX-25.
