Pros And Cons Of Peer Support

PTSD: Veteran’s Perspectives on Peer Support’s Benefits and Drawbacks

The Department of Veteran’s Affairs has recently augmented their existing care for Veterans’ suffering from PTSD with peer support groups. This brief report discusses Veterans’ perspectives on the benefits and drawbacks of peer support as an additional source of treatment for PTSD. PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, rape or other violent personal assault (CITED). Peer support refers to a best-practice model for supporting people who have been diagnosed with mental illness. This model relies on individuals who live
Subjects were from diverse ethnic/racial groups, eras of service, trauma types, and genders. Social support and understanding were the most commonly expressed potential benefits of the peer support model. Participants explained that Veterans’ understand each other in way that civilians cannot, and Veterans are more willing to open up to other Veterans (CITED). By normalizing PTSD symptoms through this model of care, Veterans felt less stigmatized and feelings of weakness for not being able to deal with their traumas were dramatically reduced by the understanding that their problems were common. For Veterans experiencing difficulty trusting others or forming relationships, peer support groups may have therapeutic benefits. Therapeutic benefits may also include changes in the way Veterans think about their trauma and help some to regain social and recreational functioning. This model of care may also become a link to professional treatment (CITED). While Veterans are more willing to reach out to other Veterans, in turn, these Veterans are in a position to facilitate contact with