Peer support plays a critical role in helping people feel less isolated, especially those facing big decisions, difficult circumstances, or struggling with their mental health. The most popular modalities of peer support typically fall into two categories: in person and online.
In-person peer support groups are often organized through schools, churches, and mental health organizations. While in-person connection is helpful, attending sessions or scheduled events can prove challenging for some due to location or scheduling conflicts. However, online peer support groups have little to no entry barrier and can reduce the sense of isolation experienced by people who reside in remote locations, need additional support between in-person sessions, or wish to retain their anonymity, according to a study published in the American Counseling Association.
Types of Peer Support
Whether in-person or online, peer support groups can cover any type of interest or concern a person may have. Some more prevalent types of peer support include:
- Mental health: including shared experiences, coping strategies, and stories of recovery.
- Substance abuse: allowing people with addictions to connect with others to share comfort and help with recovery strategies.
- Parenting: connecting parents who want to discuss the joys and challenges of being a parent or learn more about how to parent effectively.
- Chronic illness: helping individuals with chronic illnesses learn more and find solace talking with people who can relate to their struggles.
- Veterans: facing unique challenges together and giving support and comfort to those who are managing the effects of combat.
- Workplace: including discussing work-related stresses, conflicts and personal issues.
- Youth: focusing on age-specific topics and allowing young adults to talk to peers about challenges and issues.
- Grief and bereavement: allowing people who have lost a loved one to share their complex emotions and grief with others who have been through something similar.
- Education: assist students to cope with academic stress and challenges they might have socially.
- LGBTQ+ Community: providing safe and understanding environments so people can discuss challenges and experiences.
- Caregivers: practical and emotional assistance for people who are caring for those with chronic illnesses and disabilities.
- Specific Conditions: support for people dealing with eating disorders, health issues, and other conditions for which they could use information and understanding.
Benefits of Online Peer Support
While in-person support groups mostly meet in group gatherings or at events like conferences or meetings, online support groups are a bit more diverse. There are a wide array of platforms and communities tailored to address various concerns, and these communities can provide a sense of belonging, empathy, and understanding that is often difficult to find in traditional settings. These platforms include forums, chat groups, apps, and social media groups.
Unlike in-person groups, many online communities can offer a veil of anonymity if the users choose to conceal their identities. But this is just one of the many benefits. Other advantages of virtual peer support include, but are not limited to:
Accessibility and convenience: While in-person groups meet only at certain times and locations, online communities are accessible 24/7. This is convenient and life-changing for some individuals who need access to support immediately and cannot wait for a scheduled appointment.
Reduced stigma: Online peer support groups help to normalize conversations about mental health, partly because of the number of conversations and access to these conversations is so prevalent. This encourages more people to seek help without fear of judgment.
Diverse perspectives: The online community can bring people together from across the world, joining voices from different backgrounds and cultures to talk about common issues. This enriches the conversations and allows participants to gain insight from a variety of perspectives.
Emotional validation: When people seek help and are met with understanding and compassion and even a shared experience, their emotional needs are validated. Online peer support communities can create a safe space for people to be heard and understood without ridicule or judgment.
Professional treatment reinforcement: It is helpful for people to be able to discuss or even practice what they learned in professional treatment. This helps them retain and learn from the professional information and feedback they received.
Challenges of Peer Support
While peer support is overwhelmingly positive and helpful to individuals needing support in various areas, there are still some challenges. For example:
Quality control: Many online platforms lack oversight and moderation. This means that some users may have a less-than-desirable experience and receive feedback that doesn’t match up to their needs.
Trolling and negativity: Peer support platforms can suffer from bullying, trolls, and negativity, which can harm the mental health of vulnerable participants.
Privacy concerns: Sharing personal information and experiences online can carry inherent privacy risks.
Information accuracy: Not all information shared in online communities is accurate and helpful, and forums should have a way of mitigating this issue.
Throw’s Peer Support Community
Throw provides an online peer support community without the challenges other online platforms face. People who come to Throw to ask questions can maintain anonymity throughout the entire process. Users also have the assurance that the platform has a robust moderation process. Answers can be tagged as negative content or can be reported as offensive or trash (gibberish). The offender then faces penalization and even removal from the community.
Throw users can ask questions about anything they need assistance with, including all of the topics discussed above, from caregiving to parenting to social and health issues. Throw prides itself in encouraging a wide array of questions about most issues people face, as well as supporting a diverse community of people who answer those questions. It is the place to go to get your questions answered.
If you’re ready to find the peer support you’ve been searching for, download Throw today!
