Benefits of peer support
There is a rise in recovery-oriented care models in the West, where people with lived experience of mental illness become formal service providers due to their abilities to better empathise with and provide fresh perspectives for patients. However, there is still much resistance in mental healthcare systems in Asia, which primarily adopts a biomedical approach. This form of caregiving stems from the perception that ‘health’ is an absence of diseases, thereby playing a role in fostering negative attitudes to the concept of recovery in the field of mental health. The lack of recovery-oriented care models in Asia also contributes to its cultures’ more substantial social stigma surrounding mental health concerns.
Who are peer support specialists and what do they do?
This article seeks to introduce peer support as a growing profession in mental health settings that are increasingly adopting recovery-oriented approaches to well-being. Termed as “peer support specialists” in Singapore, these are people with lived experiences of struggles with mental health who are trained to support current mental health patients. They form an essential part of recovery in mental health settings due to their personal experiences and ability to provide peer support in ways that professional training is unable to replicate.
What is the difference between Peer Support Specialists and Experts by Experience?
Countries such as Singapore and the United States use the term ‘Peer Support Specialists (PSS)’ while in the United Kingdom, ‘Expert by Experience (EbyE)’ is used.
What are the benefits of peer support as a complement to seeking professional help?
Unlike trained mental health professionals, PSS engage with patients differently by providing emotional support and encouragement. According to a Nesta article, PSS have the ability to empower patients to open up about their personal experiences, hence sharing more meaningful connections and facilitating recovery. Furthermore, involving PSS in mental healthcare creates an active partnership approach through mutual respect and interest via the provision of different perspectives. Last but not least, the inclusion of peer support specialists helps fast forward the process of moving clinically-driven treatments in mental health institutions to an emphasis on holistic recovery. The last point is particularly crucial as peer support helps people create hopeful life narratives during difficult situations, instead of viewing themselves as weak, deficient or ‘mentally ill’ which tends to happen in biomedical settings.
How are they involved in Singapore’s mental health scene?
While Singapore still has a long way to go with regards to mental health awareness, recent situations such as increased mental health cases arising from the Covid pandemic and the River Valley High School tragedy has forced society at large to improve mental health support in the country. Having PSS in mental health recovery is an example. Institute of Mental Health provides peer support services, and training is available for those who are keen on becoming one through programmes such as the Peer Support Specialist Programme by the National Council of Social Service.
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Increasingly, with mental health being brought to the public’s attention, having a better understanding of the mental health scene and offering support is more pertinent than ever. This is where PSS play a crucial role. While peer support is not a replacement for professional help, it can work together with treatment.
At Calm Collective, we are building a community of peer support through Calm Circles. These are safe, non-judgemental spaces for open conversations where you can connect with one another. Registrations are open for its official launch! Be the first to sign up here.
References:
Kuek JHL, Chua HC, Poremski D Barriers and facilitators of peer support work in a large psychiatric hospital: a thematic analysis General Psychiatry 2021;34:e100521. doi: 10.1136/gpsych-2021-100521
https://www.nesta.org.uk/blog/experts-experience-ebyee-power-lived-experience/
https://www.bps.org.uk/power-threat-meaning-framework
https://wellcome.org/news/lets-talk-about-lived-experiences-mental-health-challenges
Websites you can look into for more information:
https://www.ncss.gov.sg/our-initiatives/peer-support-specialist-programme
https://www.ssi.gov.sg/training/cet-programmes/peer-support-specialist-programme/
https://imh.com.sg/clinical/page.aspx?id=2789