Many people first learned of sober companions through Robert Downey Jr.’s frank and honest account of his struggles with sobriety.

Not just for A-list celebrities, sober companions can provide the extra help that makes the difference between short-term and long-term recovery. Often starting with sober transportation from the intervention to the rehab facility, a companion can provide the bridge from rehab to the real world.

More often than not, sober companions know how to keep you on the recovery path because they’ve been where you are. Many are in recovery from addiction themselves. Sober companions are often compared to sponsors, and they do have many similarities. However, a sponsor is more akin to a close friend that you can call anytime, day or night, when you need some encouragement. A sober companion does a lot more than that; hence why they come at a cost. The price of these services can run more than $1,000 a day, per The New York Times.

Whether or not you need a sober companion is a decision only you can make. That being said, your therapist or other professionals overseeing your care may recommend a sober companion to you. If they do, it would be wise to take that advice into consideration. If there are issues beyond substance abuse that may compound your situation, a sober companion can help to keep you on the right path. They commonly assist addicts in recovery who are also adjusting to life after a mental health diagnosis. About half of people with mental illness abuse alcohol or other substances, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.