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A sober companion is somebody who is watching the addict when he/she is not in treatment. There are many reasons why clients will need to engage in a sober companion. They may need to pay a visit home for certain reasons. Or, they may be leaving treatment altogether, but are uncertain of their recoveries.
Solace Asia provides two types of sober companionship. The first are sober coaches. These are members of our recovery support team, who will go with you on trips home or abroad. These trips are usually during the treatment period. Their main goal is to monitor, support, and report back to focal counsellors, issues of the client.
However, in relapse prone cases, we would recommend our sober companions. These are our very own counsellors, who will live with you for a time. Their job is to assist you in bringing recovery learnt at Solace, back to your respective homes and lives.
In both these scenarios, the aim is to protect and ensure continued recovery with our clients. At Solace Sabah, we are not just about introducing recovery, but maintaining it.
Sober Coaches at Solace Asia
As mentioned, the sober coach is a member of the recovery coach team. They are able to escort you during treatment for any trips, you may need to take.
They are recovering addicts who have gone through recovery long enough to understand you. They will be there to help you through struggles you may face with the world outside. Their main purpose is to support clients while on excursions during treatment.
They do not have the qualifications to counsel, but can refer any therapeutic concerns to your focal counsellor. Such issues can be addressed while abroad or when you return to the treatment centre. What's important is to recognise that making trips during your treatment, is possible.
Sober Companions at Solace Asia
Addiction is a chronic relapsing disease. Some of our clients will need support in their lives as they leave us. The early phase of recovery is a very delicate stage in an addict's life. Chronic relapses are ten times more likely without a thorough aftercare program. It’s because addicts face Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS) for the first six months of sobriety. For more information on PAWS, click here.
With this, we would recommend having our sober companions. They are live-in therapists, who will be with you post-treatment. Their 24/7 presence aids to ensure zero occurrence for relapses. It's because they echo the lives of the client in every arena of their life. This is beneficial because:
Addicts will face their addictive home grounds after discharge. This has been a scary thought for many clients who have been discharged. Home may still be filled with paraphernalia, close contacts with people who are using, etc.
These triggers will be difficult if not for sober support systems. The sober companion is someone who can guide the addict through these problems. They help the client come up with lasting solutions. They assist addicts in exposure to the home ground, healing it from within.
Sober companions will also note than in dealing with the home environment. learning some life skills will be necessary. Some addicts may be unlearned in home economics or domestic work. Addicts will learn how to clean their homes, cook, iron, and create meals, to name a few. These skills are essential to ensure survival in life without addiction. We can't always rely on others to do things for us. Such entitlement is behind the addictive personality. Read here, for more information on this trait in addicts.
Sober companions are useful assets in exposure to the real world. In rehab, therapy aids recovery in an enclosed setting. You're expected to have learned the tools to apply in life. But, as our clients take their first steps into life, outside, they may need realtime help. Being familiar with you while you were in treatment, our sober companions will be capable to do this for you. They will teach you to be less reactive and more rational in various situations. For example, how to behave when meeting family and friends.
The sober companion will also challenge en-site addictive behaviours. They will mirror your every action, be with you 24/7. In this, they will see the intimate details that made up your previous lifestyle. Seemingly innocent behaviours will get addressed. You may not be sighted on how these behaviours affect addiction. Or, you may be in denial about their danger as a result of having reservations. Whatever the case may be, the sober companion will address the addiction in real-time. For example, being at the mall for no reason; or taking a pub lunch when you're an alcoholic. Being aware of these slippery behaviours will guarantee long lasting recovery.
Sober companions are people you can be accountable towards. In early recovery, you will need to inform certain people to feel that your recovery is centered. Sharing your trials, tribulations, and even slips in the program helps to aid recovery. Your sober companion will be there to listen, comment when necessary, and support you. He/she will be there to lift you out of the doldrums of depression. And if relapse should occur, aid you out of escalating the addiction. Perhaps, even recommending another stint in treatment for a time. They form a safety net for those delicate early days in the outside world.
Sober Companionship for addiction at Solace Asia
Whether a sober companion or coach, we have them both at Solace Sabah. We are here to support your recovery from addiction; be it within our walls or without.
Newly recovered clients or those undergoing treatment need the utmost care and support. For more information on our sober services, call us. We're always here to help you.
