Benefits of peer support groups in the treatment of addiction

Abstract

ObjectivePeer support can be defined as the process of giving and receiving nonprofessional, nonclinical assistance from individuals with similar conditions or circumstances to achieve long-term recovery from psychiatric, alcohol, and/or other drug-related problems. Recently, there has been a dramatic rise in the adoption of alternative forms of peer support services to assist recovery from substance use disorders; however, often peer support has not been separated out as a formalized intervention component and rigorously empirically tested, making it difficult to determine its effects. This article reports the results of a literature review that was undertaken to assess the effects of peer support groups, one aspect of peer support services, in the treatment of addiction.MethodsThe authors of this article searched electronic databases of relevant peer-reviewed research literature including PubMed and MedLINE.ResultsTen studies met our minimum inclusion criteria, including randomized controlled trials or pre-/post-data studies, adult participants, inclusion of group format, substance use-related, and US-conducted studies published in 1999 or later. Studies demonstrated associated benefits in the following areas: 1) substance use, 2) treatment engagement, 3) human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus risk behaviors, and 4) secondary substance-related behaviors such as craving and self-efficacy. Limitations were noted on the relative lack of rigorously tested empirical studies within the literature and inability to disentangle the effects of the group treatment that is often included as a component of other services.ConclusionPeer support groups included in addiction treatment shows much promise; however, the limited data relevant to this topic diminish the ability to draw definitive conclusions. More rigorous research is needed in this area to further expand on this important line of research.

Implementation of user organizations in Swedish health care and social services for persons with substance use disorders

“…To achieve long-term recovery from substancerelated problems, individuals need support and assistance from others, both from staff and nonprofessional members of user organizations. The latter have often had similar experiences of substance use disorders and life conditions (Tracy and Wallace 2016).…”

Beyond Substance Use Reduction: The Positive Impact of Mentorship for Addiction Problems (MAP)

“…The use of social support as a means of treatment continues to garner momentum within the mental health community [1][2]. Social support is based upon the idea that one can gain support from others within their social network with the goal of promoting self-efficacy, coping skills, goal attainment, and enhancing their overall sense of well-being [3][4][5].…”

“…Social support is based upon the idea that one can gain support from others within their social network with the goal of promoting self-efficacy, coping skills, goal attainment, and enhancing their overall sense of well-being [3][4][5]. More specifically, peer support is a form of social support that involves a like-minded peer who engages in a relationship with another individual based on mutual understanding and personal experience with the condition targeted in treatment [1,4,[6][7][8].…”

“…The shared experience helps to establish a nonjudgmental and understanding relationship, further enabling the individual receiving support to gain a deeper understanding of the condition and learn more effective coping skills [1,5,9]. In addition, the individuals gain a sense of belonging and community, whereas they otherwise are apt to feel isolated or stigmatized by others [9].…”

Adoption and Utilization of an Emergency Department Naloxone Distribution and Peer Recovery Coach Consultation Program

“…Previous investigations have demonstrated provider willingness to provide patients with take‐home naloxone, patient factors influencing acceptance of take‐home naloxone, and feasibility of ED OEND with ED‐based health promotion advocates, but provider adoption of ED naloxone distribution into clinical practice is unknown . Similarly, peer recovery coaches have also been shown to be an effective component of outpatient addiction treatment services navigation and support, but evaluation of their utilization in the ED is limited . This study aims to evaluate the adoption, utilization, and maintenance of an ED OEND program that uses community‐based peer recovery coaches for addiction treatment navigation for ED patients with OUD and those treated after opioid overdose.…”