Evaluate the evidence. Create a draft of the findings of the articles you have selected and how they contribute to our knowledge of this problem. Be sure to address each of the following items in your

The Power of Peer Support

Mental health issues are a significant problem in contemporary society that affect people

of different ages, gender, social and cultural backgrounds are also affected by mental health

disorders. According to R. Ahrnsbrak & J. Bose, S. Hedden, it is estimated that over 40 million

adults have one or more mental disorders. Based on past years’ statistics, it is evident that

“An estimated 44.7 million adults aged 18 or older (18.3 percent) had any mental illness

(AMI) in the past year. An estimated 10.4 million adults in the nation had a serious mental

illness (SMI) in the past year, representing 4.2 percent of all U.S. adults. (Murray, C. J. L., &

Lopez, A. D. (2013).”

It is therefore, “important to develop strategies to ensure better management of mental health

in inpatient, outpatient and community settings Peer support is one of the strategies that can help to improve the state of mental health in America. Access to peer support is an effective way of enhancing the quality of a person’s state of mental health because it provides confidence and increased levels of positive feelings for patients (DBSA, 2018).” I understand peer support as any form of assistance that comes from people who share characteristics or experiences relating to things that are in common. For instance, for patients with mental health issues, peer support includes any knowledge, emotional, or social assistance that one may get from a fellow who has the same experiences.

The importance of peer support is that it helps people understand that they have a sense of

belonging and know that they are not alone in dealing with their mental health issues. People

should also be aware that they are able to create healthy relationships with others and not be

discriminated upon.

A person is more likely to be impacted by support from peers rather than someone who does

not understand their experiences (Repper, J., & Carter, T. (2011). I have chosen to study this

topic because I understand that people are subject to suffer from mental illness do not seek

professional support. Instead they, rely on the help they get from people in their social

environments. I would like to get a better understanding of the impact that peer support has on

those who suffer from mental health disorders.

References:

Ahrnsbrak, R., Bose, J., Hedden, S. L., Lipari, R. N., & Park-Lee, E. (2017). Key substance use

and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2016 National Survey

on Drug Use and Health. Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance

Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Rockville, MD, USA.

Bockting, W. O., Miner, M. H., Swinburne Romine, R. E., Hamilton, A., & Coleman, E. (2013).

Stigma, mental health, and resilience in an online sample of the US transgender population.

The American journal of public health, 103(5), 943-951.

Chinman, M., George, P., Dougherty, R. H., Daniels, A. S., Ghose, S. S., Swift, A., & Delphin-

Rittmon, M. E. (2014). Peer support services for individuals with serious mental illnesses:

assessing the evidence. Psychiatric Services, 65(4), 429-441.

Davidson, L., Bellamy, C., Guy, K., & Miller, R. (2012). Peer support among persons with

severe mental illnesses: a review of evidence and experience. World psychiatry, 11(2),

123-128.

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA, 2018). https:www.DBSAlliance.org

Hunt, J., & Eisenberg, D. (2010). Mental health problems and help-seeking behavior among

college students. The Journal of Adolescent Health, 46(1), 3-10.

Murray, C. J. L., & Lopez, A. D. (2013). Measuring the global burden of disease. New England

Journal of Medicine, 369, 448-457. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmra1201534

Lawn, S., Smith, A., & Hunter, K. (2008). Mental health peer support for hospital avoidance and

early discharge: An Australian example of consumer driven and operated service. The Journal of Mental Health, 17(5), 498-508.

Pfeiffer, P. N., Heisler, M., Piette, J. D., Rogers, M. A., & Valenstein, M. (2011). Efficacy

peer support interventions for depression: a meta-analysis. General hospital psychiatry,

33(1), 29-36.

Repper, J., & Carter, T. (2011). A review of the literature on peer support in mental health

services. Journal of mental health, 20(4), 392-411.

Thoits, P. A. (2011). Mechanisms linking social ties and support to physical and mental health.

Journal of health and social behavior, 52(2), 145-161.

Walker, G., & Bryant, W. (2013). Peer support in adult mental health services: A metasynthesis

of qualitative findings. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 36(1), 28.