AEF - The Value of Peer Support for Chronic Conditions

The Value of Peer Support for Chronic Condition

Peer support has been seeing an emergence in the mainstream. With it’s roots in grassroots mutual support programs, famously programs like Alcoholic Anonymous, peer support has clear value. But what really is peer support? And what are the benefits for those suffering from chronic conditions? 

What is peer support? 

If you’re familiar with the format of programs like Alcoholics Anonymous, you might already have an idea of what peer support might look like, but peer support is very versatile and can take a number of forms. 

At its core, peer support is when people with shared experiences give and receive support from one another. Peer support programs typically consist of trained supporters who have lived experience and are hence, peers to the people they are supporting. So, endometriosis peer supporters are people with lived experience of endometriosis. Peer support is an effective way of increasing social and emotion support, sharing knowledge, and building community for a range of things including a myriad of chronic conditions. Peer support can be one-to-one support, or it can be in groups. It can be in person, it can be online, over the phone, etc.

Why does it matter? 

Having a chronic condition, like endometriosis, can be isolating. It can feel like no one around you knows what you’re going through, and it can be alienating to go through something like this alone. Peer support matters because it can help you restore a sense of community, a sense that other people are going through the same things and that you aren’t on your own. Peer supporters can share stories and experiences that might make you feel less alone while also providing tools for self-management and self-advocacy. These are tools and supports that are not typically built into traditional healthcare systems but that are very necessary for navigating the often complex world of chronic conditions. 

What are the benefits? 

Peer support has a number of benefits including greater social and emotional wellbeing, as well as growing a sense of empowerment, confidence, self-management skills, and belonging. One of the roles of peer support is to remove the power imbalance that can be a recurring theme in healthcare spaces. A peer supporter is not a medical professional, they are not on your medical care team, they are just someone with experience of your condition, often trained to offer support that is unbiased and non-judgemental. Peer supporters can share experiences that leave you feeling less alone, they can share self-management tips, they can give you a greater sense of confidence in both managing your chronic condition and interacting with healthcare systems. Peer supporters are someone you can talk to who knows what your talking about which is vital when it comes to having a chronic condition. 

It can be really important for people in regional, rural and remote settings where communities are small. More organisations are being to roll out telecommunication options for peer support to help connect people from regions where in person support may not be feasible. This can have hugely positive impacts for people in smaller and/or more resource challenged communities where having a chronic condition can come with additional challenges. This is similar for culturally and linguistically diverse people for whom having a peer support worker of a similar background could of great comfort and of great benefit. But, really, everyone can benefit from peer support.