Transcription
Hello, my name is Jose Marie. I'm an activist and survivor from Berlin, Germany, and I'm happy to share with you some thoughts on peer support.
First of all, peer support means to me that it is a non-hierarchical way of supporting each other. So, it's different from what we know from the medical, psychiatric, psychological, or social work support system. When practicing peer support, there is no assumption that one person knows best what is good or right for another person, what to do, or how to deal with the situation when she is feeling bad or struggling. So, this would be how it normally works in psychiatry: the so-called professionals that work there supposedly know what you need and what is best for you when you're doing bad.
So, in the context of peer support, I assume that I cannot know what someone individually needs in a crisis, but I can only figure this out together with a person. First of all, I would always ask a person if they have an idea what might help them themselves, and if they have an idea, I would just support them in doing so. I think that often people themselves are experts in what is good for them personally. But sometimes, when you are in crisis, it is exactly the problem that you don't know what to do anymore, that you don't know how to help yourself or how to just go further with your life. Then it is about exchanging ideas, sharing experiences and knowledges, making suggestions, and trying to figure out together what could be supportive right now. Sometimes it's also enough to just listen and be there with someone without coming up with solutions or change something immediately.
For me, it is important to not overstep boundaries and not to do anything that another person doesn't want. This can sometimes be difficult, for example, when you're very worried about someone, but the person herself doesn't want any help. For these situations, it can be helpful to discuss things in advance within the peer community and maybe even write down a crisis manual. Questions that could be discussed are: What should we do in a worst-case scenario? Who should we call? Do you have a friend that you could stay with for a few days? Or is it an option for you to consult a therapist or even a psychiatric institution, or is this a complete no-go for you?
What does peer support mean to your community? I think first of all, it means that we acknowledge that life can be challenging sometimes and that struggling is part of living. Also, that mad states and experiences are part of life, and that it's okay to experience all different sorts of emotions, from very bad and devastating ones to very good and pleasant ones. And it doesn't mean that you are wrong if you experience or feel things differently, or if you don't function in a way that is commonly expected from you in society. Also, peer support means acknowledging that for some of us, due to discrimination and oppressive structures, life can be even more a struggle than for others with certain privileges. And some of us are more likely to face psychiatric discrimination or violence. Therefore, supporting one another and taking care of each other is not only necessary but also a political action.