Once rehab is complete at a center like FHE Health, the work of long-term recovery begins. Fortunately, those on this journey don’t have to go it alone. Peer support helps individuals change unhealthy behaviors and develop the coping skills they need to continue avoiding drug or alcohol use. A 2021 study found ongoing support from friends and family led to lower drug use. By connecting with people who’ve experienced similar challenges, individuals can benefit from accountability and practical guidance to make sustained recovery more achievable.
What’s Peer Support in Mental Health and Addiction Recovery?
Addiction recovery can be isolating. Often, it requires individuals to change their social circles, even avoiding certain people or situations that may trigger a relapse. A strong peer support system is essential for preventing isolation while helping the individual develop the coping skills they need to remain sober.
What’s Peer Support?
Peer support refers to assistance from someone who has firsthand experience of what it’s like to live with and overcome addiction. Unlike professional therapists, who provide valuable insight from an evidence-based perspective, peer supporters draw on their own experiences to create an understanding environment. This can take a variety of shapes, from one-on-one mentorship to structured 12-step programs.
The Core Principles of Peer Support
Peer support goes beyond friends helping one another abstain from drugs or alcohol. It’s based on mutual respect and an understanding of what it means to be in recovery. The emphasis is on empowering one another to remain in recovery and creating a safe, confidential environment where individuals can be candid about the challenges they face.
The Roles and Settings for Peer Support
Individuals in recovery can find peer support in a variety of settings. For many, structured AA, Self Management and Recovery Training (SMART) or Celebrate Recovery groups provide ongoing help throughout the recovery journey. Others prefer the personalized experience of one-on-one peer mentorship or coaching. In many cases, individuals can find support groups through addiction treatment centers, their local hospital or community-funded initiatives.
The Value of Lived Experience in Building Trust and Hope
Recovery isn’t a linear process. Some days feel like victories, while others bring unexpected challenges or even relapse. Through peer support, individuals can gain the insight and perspective they need to continue moving forward.
Connecting Through Shared Experiences
For many recovering from addiction, the challenges they face are outside their friends’ and family members’ realms of experience. Peer support networks provide connection through shared experiences, allowing individuals to talk to people with firsthand understanding of the challenges of sobriety.
Building a Sense of Community
Recovery may involve changing friend groups, living situations, hobbies or recreational activities. Reinventing your lifestyle may be healthy and necessary, but it can also be isolating. Regular meetings with peer supporters can provide encouragement and accountability while making recovery feel less lonely.
How Peer Support Complements Clinical Treatment
Peer support doesn’t replace regular counseling sessions with a trained professional. While it serves a different purpose from evidence-based therapy, it complements clinical treatment by making it more effective and sustainable. In fact, some studies suggest it’s essential for long-term recovery, helping reduce stigmas about substance use.
Enhancing Therapy and Treatment Plans
During recovery, it’s typical for individuals in the early phases to meet with their therapists weekly. As recovery progresses, frequency may decrease, with biweekly or monthly sessions becoming the norm. While therapists provide ongoing encouragement, direction and support, they aren’t involved in the individual’s day-to-day life.
Peers, on the other hand, offer consistent, real-time support. They may check in regularly, helping individuals stay grounded and motivated. They can also provide a listening ear and accountability during the tough moments.
Emotional and Practical Support
Peers are uniquely positioned to provide emotional and practical support, especially during the most challenging days of recovery. They help by offering coping strategies and advice on navigating triggers, giving individuals the tools they need to practice what they learn through clinical treatment.
Examples: Peer Recovery Coaches, Support Groups and Community Programs
Peer support is a key component of addiction recovery, but it may not look the same in every instance. An individual’s personal challenges and goals, preferences and even geographic location may affect the type of support they have access to.
- Peer Recovery Coaches
Peer recovery coaches and mentors provide one-on-one support and advice. They help their clients navigate the challenges of staying sober by serving as a source of guidance and motivation. They can also help individuals connect with online or community resources, such as legal representation, affordable housing or assistance with finding a job. - Support Groups
Support groups are a common source of peer support. They offer a setting for group discussions, discussing shared experiences and talking through coping strategies when facing triggers. These support groups may use evidence-based 12-step programs, or they may be tailored for specific groups, such as parents in recovery or first responders. - Community Programs
Many communities invest in their members by funding peer support groups for mental health or addiction recovery. For example, some community recreation centers and hospitals combine peer support with regular social or educational activities.
Research on Effectiveness and Long-Term Outcomes
A growing body of research links peer support to personal recovery, showing those who combine support groups with clinical treatment have positive outcomes. In one study, peer recovery coaching improved treatment retention and reduced the rate of relapse. Another review found young adults living with mental health problems reported a greater sense of hope, empowerment and self-worth when participating in peer support groups.
Peer support groups go beyond the clinical treatment individuals receive through mental health care providers, offering daily contact, accountability and inspiration. They also strengthen social connectedness, one of the strongest predictors of long-term recovery.
How to Find Peer Support and Get Involved
To find a local peer support group, you can talk to your primary care provider or mental health therapist. You can also do an online search to find groups meeting in your area. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous have apps and websites you can use to see a list of local chapters. Additionally, nonprofit organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness can connect you with support groups that meet weekly, biweekly or monthly.
At FHE, we recognize the value of peer support groups, integrating them into our behavioral health program. To learn more about our approach to addiction treatment or to find out how you can connect with a local peer support group, contact us today.
