The Role of Peer Support in Kentucky’s Substance Use Treatment Landscape
Overcoming addiction is among the most difficult things an individual can do, and no one can do it alone. It’s not a matter of strength or weakness, dependence or independence; in the simplest of terms, moving past substance abuse is an emotionally and physically demanding process that requires guidance and mentorship from others who have undergone the journey to sobriety.
The Need for Guidance and Mentorship in Overcoming Addiction
Addiction rewires the brain, and prioritizes the use of substances over all other things, including emotional stability and basic life skills (this highly educational video does an amazing job of helping you understand this process). Those in recovery have to learn how to prioritize their own health and well-being. They need support while they navigate their own addictions, both mentally and otherwise; not even the strongest person alive might overcome addiction on their own.
The Role and Importance of Peer Support
This is where peer support comes in. SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) defines peer support as, “people who have been successful in the recovery process who help others experiencing similar situations.”
SAMHSA’s Definition of Peer Support
In the simplest of terms, peer support professionals are responsible for providing assistance to those in active recovery by using the skills they learned both during and after their own time in recovery. These individuals don’t have to obtain college degrees, either; all that’s required is an official certification and a desire to help people who are going through similar struggles with substance abuse.
The Many Faces of Peer Support
Peer support can mean many different things to many different people. Sometimes, it can be as simple as an addict needing someone to talk to after an emotionally trying day, or a shoulder to cry on in times of need. In other cases, peer support individuals act as mentor figures, demonstrating through experience what life can be like after overcoming one’s addictions.
They can lead group therapy sessions, seek out job opportunities for those in recovery, and share resources that helped them recover. The key aspect that makes peer support so crucial is that they themselves are in recovery; mental health specialists can certainly sympathize with the struggles of being an addict, but peer support specialists have been in the addict’s shoes before, and can understand aspects of the road to recovery that no one else possibly could.
The Sphere of Influence of Peer Support Professionals
While they’re most often found in rehabilitation centers, peer support professionals also work in hospitals, shelters, and other areas. In addition to the support they offer one on one, they also often advocate for better mental health services for addicts, sharing their experiences in hopes of shedding some light on what addiction can truly look like.
Advocacy for Better Mental Health Services
They are advocates for those in recovery, whether it means offering advice or pushing for more effective treatment plans.
There may be dozens of people involved in a single addict’s road to sobriety – counselors, lawyers, judges, nurses, clinical coordinators, and more – but peer support are among the most crucial because they offer a sense of community. Many people coming out of active addiction often feel a deep sense of shame. Public opinion skews towards being judgemental of those struggling with substance abuse, not supportive, which just makes it harder for many people to seek treatment.
The Stigma of Addiction and the Need for Peer Support
There is a popular stereotype that addicts are simply “lazy” and “unmotivated,” and use their struggles as an excuse to gain sympathy; this is not true, of course, but the idea is unfortunately common. Who wouldn’t be nervous about admitting they have a problem when the discussions about addiction are so often negative? The last thing anyone wants is to feel scrutinized or less than for admitting that they have a problem.
This sense of shame is exactly why peer support is so crucial for those struggling to get sober. A recovering addict is far more likely to be open and honest with someone who understands what it’s like to be in their position than someone who doesn’t. All of the aforementioned positions are crucial to helping people overcome substance abuse, but peer support individuals offer a perspective that others simply can’t. They don’t judge because they know how it feels to be an addict. What’s more, their being part of the recovery process acts as a constant reminder for the addict that it is possible to move on after getting clean, that life doesn’t have to end just because their addiction does.
The Unique Significance of Peer Support in Kentucky
In Kentucky, peer support is perhaps even more crucial. Between the influx of opioids and heroin – and, more recently, fentanyl – more and more people are seeking recovery every day. There is no shortage of people struggling with substance abuse, just as there is no shortage of discussion on the national level about what is occurring here. As more addicts come forward and start the long road to sobriety, peer support will continue to act as a significant part of the substance use treatment landscape – and more will appear in time.
Want to become a Peer Support Specilaist in Kentucky?
Our certification courses in Adult Peer Support and Targeted Case Management are geared toward equipping you with the crucial skills and knowledge to enact real change. By stepping into the role of a helper, you can offer the essential support individuals in recovery need, guiding them through their hurdles and possibly altering the course of their lives for the better. Start your transformative journey with us at Train Kentucky, and let’s work together to create a positive ripple effect. Explore our diverse range of courses by clicking here.
