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Peer Support for Substance Use Disorders

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Peer Support in Medicine

Abstract

The clinical approach to treating substance use disorders (SUD) is often complemented by the use of nonclinical, mutual aid services (e.g., 12-Step programs). Currently these represent the primary institutions for treating SUD. While beneficial for some, this approach does not reflect the numerous pathways to recovery. Moreover, there are significant unmet needs in the current approach to treatment. Many people requiring treatment do not have access, and many of those who obtain treatment do not achieve long-standing remission. Some models of recovery are incorporating the use of peers who provide support in the form of shared, lived experience. While peers are already a salient component to mutual aid work, this initiative involves using peers in structured roles to help deliver and enhance clinical care and facilitate connection to the numerous resources – in addition to mutual aid – that can help establish an environment where long-standing recovery can flourish. Research into the use of these peer-based recovery support services is promising, though it should be said that this area of study is in its infancy and requires more attention before concluding the best practice for utilizing peers. This chapter focuses on exploring the use of peer support as an exciting option that has the potential to target existing gaps in both formal and informal treatment models. It summarizes what is known about the positive impacts of peer support on alcohol and other drug-related disorders and proposes that peer services could meaningfully impact the future of addiction treatment by improving access to treatment, enhancing engagement to treatment, and promoting the framework for long-standing success.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    Rachel N. Knight

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  1. Rachel N. Knight
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Correspondence to Rachel N. Knight .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Director of Addiction Psychiatry, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA

    Jonathan D. Avery

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Knight, R.N. (2021). Peer Support for Substance Use Disorders. In: Avery, J.D. (eds) Peer Support in Medicine. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58660-7_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58660-7_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-58659-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-58660-7

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