I love peer support groups. I needed one when I was diagnosed with lupus. I needed one when my daughter was diagnosed with severe autism and retardation. I needed one when I realized I had Asperger's. I need one as a writer, as a Christian, as an adoptive mother. A three-fold cord is not easily broken. I can recommend WrongPlanet.net for those of your followers who also have Asperger's.
Having tried peer support groups in the past and coming away somewhere between horrified and disgusted, I'm *almost* tempted to try them again...
But I'm aware enough of my personality problems to understand that I don't think I have peers... nor do my "problem" people have peers.
The main problem with peer groups has been that the "problem" person must be "average" or "universal" in some way.
Well... that just didn't happen for me. My son's head injury left him incapable of emotionally coping with any problem, but since his physical disabilities were "mild" in comparison to other dependents in my "peer" group, they thought he and I didn't have much of a problem.
I'm not making this claim based on a one time attempt at peer support. It's been tried since 1983... with the most recent attempt in 2010.
Peer support groups are unquestionably good for some people. It is a mistake to think they are the answer for all. Sometimes they are destructive for a minority of cases.
I have to say that I am wary of peer support groups. I am also aware that I expect more than they offer.
At the heart of that expectation is the recognition that help is offered only to the core group -- that group being the one that fits the "average" or "core" diagnosis.
2 comments:
I love peer support groups. I needed one when I was diagnosed with lupus. I needed one when my daughter was diagnosed with severe autism and retardation. I needed one when I realized I had Asperger's. I need one as a writer, as a Christian, as an adoptive mother. A three-fold cord is not easily broken.
I can recommend WrongPlanet.net for those of your followers who also have Asperger's.
Having tried peer support groups in the past and coming away somewhere between horrified and disgusted, I'm *almost* tempted to try them again...
But I'm aware enough of my personality problems to understand that I don't think I have peers... nor do my "problem" people have peers.
The main problem with peer groups has been that the "problem" person must be "average" or "universal" in some way.
Well... that just didn't happen for me. My son's head injury left him incapable of emotionally coping with any problem, but since his physical disabilities were "mild" in comparison to other dependents in my "peer" group, they thought he and I didn't have much of a problem.
I'm not making this claim based on a one time attempt at peer support. It's been tried since 1983... with the most recent attempt in 2010.
Peer support groups are unquestionably good for some people. It is a mistake to think they are the answer for all. Sometimes they are destructive for a minority of cases.
I have to say that I am wary of peer support groups. I am also aware that I expect more than they offer.
At the heart of that expectation is the recognition that help is offered only to the core group -- that group being the one that fits the "average" or "core" diagnosis.
For the outliers... nada at best.
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