August 20, 2018 – Peer Support

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Anchor lead: When someone gets peer support, avoiding rehospitalization is more likely, Elizabeth Tracey reports

People who have been hospitalized for mental illness and had the support of someone in the community who had already had such an experience were more likely to remain out of the hospital, a recent study in the Lancet showed. Patricia Davidson, dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, says she’s not surprised.

Davidson: Having that insight of that shared experience, that recognition particularly in addiction, where there’s so many physiological as well as psychological factors mitigating against recovery. So getting that commonality I think is really important. And it’s much the same as diversity. People want to see people like themselves, so it’s that ability to relate, and empathize, and to recognize that this, there’s someone here that’s providing a guidepost for you.   :30

Davidson says acting as a peer supporter is also beneficial for the person doing the supporting, so it’s a win-win. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.