The Role of Peer Support
People who have lived through a similar experience as others have a unique capacity to help their peers –whether they are a person in recovery or a parent or other family caregiver who is currently caring for or has cared for an adolescent or adult child in active addiction.
PEER SUPPORT: Research has shown that recovery from a substance use disorder is facilitated by social support (McLellan et al., 1998), and providing peer mentoring and coaching, as well as connecting those seeking assistance with recovery resources, has been identified as extremely beneficial (Cobb, 1976; Salzer, 2002). It has been well established that peer leaders can provide support services to individuals at all stages in the recovery process identified by Prochaska, Norcross, and DiClementi (1995). As such, peers in recovery have been instrumental in providing critical support to those struggling, regardless of whether they are contemplating, preparing for, taking action toward, or maintaining changes in their life. By serving as role models for recovery, providing mentoring and coaching, connecting people to needed services and community supports, and helping in the process of establishing new social networks supportive of recovery, peer leaders make recovery a presence in their communities and send a message of hope.
FAMILY PEER SUPPORT: Clinical trials have shown that family support and involvement in the treatment process is one of the most significant protective factors for youth, as well as young adults, in both seeking treatment and maintaining recovery. (Center for Motivation & Change / Partnership for Drug-Free.org, 2014; Foote et al, 2014; Meyers, 2001, 2004, 2005) Since roughly half of all young adults under 25, and a third under 35 years of age, live with their parents, it stands to reason that parents and other family members often become caregivers for their adult-age children who struggle with substance dependence. Given the fact that parents and other family caregivers are in key positions to help their children overcome such a potentially debilitating disorder, it is critical that they are empowered with the education and support to make, at times, life and death decisions regarding their children.
There is a significant population of individuals and families in recovery from alcohol and other drug problems in the United States who could be mobilized more widely to support prevention and early intervention programs, serve as volunteers in addiction treatment and recovery support programs, and provide leadership of Alcohol and Other Drug-related policy advocacy initiatives. Those who were once part of the problem constitute underutilized resources in the search for fresh solutions to America’s alcohol and other drug problems. (White, 2012)