CHENNAI: One may always appreciate someone lending an ear to their problems, but there is always a degree of difference between those who try to understand your issues and those who have lived them. Harnessing the power of peer support and discussing its role in the process of mental health recovery is the upcoming virtual research workshop ‘Experts by Experience: Peer Support in Asian Context’ hosted by Asian College of Schizophrenia Research, in which SCARF India will be participating from Chennai. The workshop will unveil an overview of peer support, its importance and the implementation of the same in Asia.
Peer support refers to when one person with mental illness is willing to help someone else get through the same experiences. It is the lived experiences, the fact that they have gone through something similar that makes peer support a successful practice, shares Sonia Sims, psychosocial rehabilitation therapist at SCARF, adding that this is not unobserved in the case of India. Dr Mangala, assistant director, also adds from her experience, “We have seen such support, for instance, in residential communities, especially among people of similar age. They get together and want to maintain contact even after leaving. Earlier, we would be hesitant giving out contacts for fear of how the family might react. But, we noticed that for some who were aloof or quiet, we could identify others who could make an effort and draw them out.”
Peer support may not be an uncommon concept but the informality of it in our country still leaves room for improvement in implementation. “Informal peer support can have its downsides, such as one of the two getting overwhelmed, lack of boundaries and such. With a structure, we can ensure that these challenges are monitored and avoided,” says Sonia. When SCARF found the demand for this structure in stakeholders — persons with schizophrenia, caregivers, and mental health professionals — they set out to initiate a programme for the same (the first one in India was initiated in Gujarat but there is much to be done in this part of the country). The proposal for this programme will be presented at the workshop, Sonia reveals.
“Kasthuri Divya G (research assistant, SCARF) will discuss the implementation of peer support in Gujarat and then the two of us, together, will present our study and the proposal for the programme. As not many know of peer support in our country, I think the workshop will show people what it is, and how the work is done in our country. Furthermore, since it is the early stages of development, we are also seeking collaborators who would wish to join us. Apart from us, there are several other speakers from Asian College of Schizophrenia Research who will speak of peer support in the context of their own countries,” she adds.
To make the explanation of the same more personal, the workshop will also present a platform to persons with schizophrenia who have had experience of peer support. They will share their journeys and point of views and add the touch of practical knowledge and perspective to the theory presented. “Pople are already asking to enrol in the programme. They are glad that they can help others get better. And this is truly one of the best ways to go forward in the fight against the stigma of schizophrenia. The best part about peer support is that it helps both people in the setup and shows how much recovery is possible in mental illnesses,” Dr Mangala signs off.
The talk will be held on April 7 from 3.30-5.30 pm. For details, visit @ scarfindia (Instagram).