RecoveryWorkings
... one addict helping another is without parallel~N.A Basic Text
Peer Support
Every day, men and women emerge from the self imposed cages of alcoholism and drug addiction to reclaim their families, friends, jobs, lives... Every Day. You can too.
What Is A.A.?
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship of men and women who have had a drinking problem. It is nonprofessional, self-supporting, multiracial, apolitical, and available almost everywhere. There are no age or education requirements. Membership is open to anyone who wants to do something about his or her drinking problem.
Singleness of Purpose and Problems Other Than Alcohol
Some professionals refer to alcoholism and drug addiction as "substance abuse" or "chemical dependency." Nonalcoholics are, therefore, sometimes introduced to A.A. and encouraged to attend A.A. meetings. Anyone may attend open A.A. meetings, but only those with a drinking problem may attend closed meetings.
What Does A.A. Do?
- A.A. members share their experience with anyone seeking help with a drinking problem; they give person-to-person service or "sponsorship" to the alcoholic coming to A.A. from any source.
- The A.A. program, set forth in our Twelve Steps, offers the alcoholic a way to develop a satisfying life without alcohol.
- This program is discussed at A.A. group meetings.
- Furnish initial motivation for alcoholics to recover
- Solicit members
- Engage in or sponsor research
- Keep attendance records or case histories
- Join "councils" of social agencies
- Follow up or try to control its members
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Ask Yourself
- Do I get more depressed when I drink?
- Have I noticed that I need more and more drink or drug to achieve a high?
Definition
The concept of peer support had its beginnings in 1935 with the establishment of Alcoholics Anonymous, which operated under the principle that persons who had experienced and overcome alcoholism would be more effective in assisting others who were trying to do the same. The peer concept has grown over the years to numerous settings, disciplines and issues. "Self-help is founded upon the principle that people who share a disability have something to offer each other which cannot be provided by professionals".
(Clarke Institute 1997)
There is not a generally accepted definition of peer support. There are as many definitions of peer support as there are Peer Support Programs. Peer support for people with similar life experiences (e.g., people who've lost children,
people with alcohol and substance abuse problems, etc.) has proven to be tremendously
important towards helping many move through difficult situations.
(Reissman, 1989;
Roberts & Rappaport, 1989)
In general, peer support has been defined by the fact that
people who have like experiences can better relate and can consequently offer more
authentic empathy and validation. It is also not uncommon for people with similar lived
experiences to offer each other practical advice and suggestions for strategies that
professionals may not offer or even know about. Maintaining its non-professional
vantage point is crucial in helping people rebuild their sense of community when they've
had a disconnecting kind of experience.
The concept of peer support when it comes to recovery from active alcoholism and drug addiction is not the exclusive domain of Twelve Step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. Today, quite unlike how it was in the mid 1930's when AA was founded, there exists a variety of peer support based groups and recovery programs, as well as the still relatively new phenomenon of internet based support, such as the ever growing number of message boards and forums devoted to all issues pertaining to addiction, codependancy and mental health.
Some of the better known programs, like LifeRing, offer secular peer support, differing slightly from the principles of AA in that they believe that the power to recover rests withing the individuals themselves, as opposed to the Twelve Step concept of a higher power, a spiritual guiding force that lies outside of the individual.
S.M.A.R.T Recovery (which stands for Self-Management And Recovery Training), is another popular alternative to AA, and is largely based in understanding behavior patterns and scientific knowledge about addiction and its possible sources. Also advancing the usefulness of abstinence, like LifeRing and AA, S.M.A.R.T Recovery focuses on developing an individual's ability to cope with urges, while encouraging the adoption of healthier and more balanced activities and lifestyles.
Women For Sobriety, as the name suggests, is a gender specific organization and self-help group that started in 1976 as the result of one woman's search for sobriety. From the introduction on their website: "Based upon a Thirteen Statement Program of positivity that encourages emotional and spiritual growth, the "New Life" Program has been extremely effective in helping women to overcome their alcoholism and learn a wholly new lifestyle.
As a Program, it can stand alone or be used along with other programs simultaneously.
It is being used not only by women alcoholics in small self-help groups but also in hospitals, clinics, treatment facilities, women centers, and wherever alcoholics are being treated."
