Here is the link to the AA pamphlet "Questions and Answers on Sponsorship":

alcoholics-anonymous.org/en_pdfs/p-15_Q&AonSpon.pdf

Great pamphlet that gets little attention!

Mrs. B.

I have (and do) sponsor some men over the net/on the phone.

Becuase as a sponsor I accept that I am here to help the individual learn how to work the steps and apply them to thier lives, not run their lives for them, be a guru or anything beyond that. I can do that through any form of communication. In the early days there were many AA's sponsored through the mail.

That being said, here is one of the first things I tell someone I am sponsoring (on the net or F2F). "You need to go and get as much recovery contact as you can - Face to Face - in your life. Get phone numbers - and use them - get a support system built up around you."

There is nothing that can replace that immeadiate personal contact and you will need it, a lot of it, especially through the early days.

You also need to examine your reasons for wanting on-line sponsorship. Is it so you can 'control' the contact - taking it only when you want it (and not necessaryily when you need it)? Are you doing it to aviod getting really close to another human being?

I myself am a sick puppy - I've usually had more than 1 sponsor at a time (and not played the game of playing them against one another) and that has included on line sponsors. Having that ability to contact someone over the net had had its advantages.

Funny thing is that lately my original #1 F2f sponsor, Scotty, and I are in contact more over the net than any other way even though we only live about 10 miles appart. It enables him to read/respond to me at times when he does not have kids, work or other issues distracting him.

Now if I can just get him to join the Realm...

On line, face to face or any other way it always comes down to the same thing - What are you willing to do to stay sober?

"Half measures availed us nothing!"

(((((gethealthy)))))

I am sooooo sorry no one has responded to you yet!

If you can see that alcohol is creating problems in your life, that is a major step!!!  The next step is to do something about it.  Just stopping drinking isn't enough in most cases.

Please come into our chatroom or attend our online meetings -- you will find a great group of people who are willing to help you.

If you haven't done so already, please go to an AA meeting in your area -- I know that you will be wecomed. 

Life is so much better sober!

I have an on line sponsor.  She and I have met and visited with each other several times.  She is very important to me as We have developed a friendship that I would have never thought possible.

I do not have a f2f sponsor currently and really dont feel the need to have one at this point.  I do have a f2f Alanon sponsor tho.

I sponsor women on line as well as f2f.  I truely believe that sponsorship is a vital part of recovery with every reward of forming a loving, trusting, understanding relationship that there can be.