Bipolar Weekly

Category: Peer Support

blogs that include the topic peer support.

Could Two Hours of Peer Support Change Your Life?

February 8, 2026 / / 6 Comments

I have been working as a peer support worker for over ten years, and most people do not know what we do and how we are able to empower people who have mental health issues to have a positive life in an extremely short period of time. Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and psychiatric nurses provide a crucial role in mental health recovery but they do not have the ability to support change like peer support workers can.

Understanding the principles, methodologies and strategies involved in peer support is analogous to understanding the expertise of other specialized fields. It requires training, insight and personal experience. The paradigm is simultaneously simple and complex. The results are extraordinary. Other mental health professionals seek to have their clients/patients suffer less and increase their ability to be functional. Peer support workers follow the lead of the people we work with and walk along side them in their mental health journey. We do not refer to them as patients or clients in peer support. They are our peers, participants or guests. Our practice is guided by peer support principles, our training and lived experience. This gives us the ability to create instant inspiration for hope, validation and connection in a way that promotes dignity and respect.

My first experience with peer support was in 2008. I was on the verge of losing another job because of a bipolar depressive episode. I had very little money and hardly any friends or social connection. My employer, along with other people in my life were frustrated with my low level of functioning and implied it was due to laziness. The professionals involved in my care treated me like a problem they needed to solve. I was alone, hopeless and done with life. I made a call to the Distress Centre, and they sent out the mobile response team to my apartment. They recommended that I go to a peer support group for people who have bipolar disorder. I hated support groups at the time but I decided to give it a try anyway.

I entered the warm, slightly dim lit boardroom at an urgent care facility in downtown Calgary, Canada. I flopped down in a chair and rested my head on my arms on the table. I was exhausted. My plan was to stay two hours and leave so I could tell people who were frustrated with me that I tried something to help myself. Everyone sat around the table save the two facilitators who were seated at the head. When the facilitators introduced themselves, I was surprised to hear that they also had bipolar disorder. Everyone took turns talking about how bipolar disorder was impacting their life and/or their lived experience with dealing with the illness. My head lifted up off the table. The facilitators used peer support strategies to make the space feel safe, promote connection and opportunities for us to learn from them and other members of the group.

When it was my turn, I felt hesitant to speak but the gentle invitation of one of the facilitators made me feel compelled to share. Nobody interrupted me, gave me advice, or treated me like a problem. Occasionally, someone would mention that they had been through similar challenges and how they got through it. There were people who were struggling just like I was and people who seemed to be enjoying their life and quite positive.

When the meeting ended, I felt completely different. When I went into the room, I was hopeless, alone and suicidal. When I left, I was part of a community, hopeful and found the will to live and start the process of becoming more optimistic. My life was completely different after this experience. My mood became more stable over longer stretches of time an I became more resilient and functional. I experienced a great deal of joy spending time with my peers who are clever, funny, compassionate and genuine. I don’t have to explain anything to them, they completely understand what I am going through so I can just be myself. I continue to struggle with the symptoms of bipolar disorder but peer support has changed how I live my life. It is as important as my medication.  

After attending the group for a few years, and receiving peer support training, I became one of the proficient group facilitators. I currently have two jobs. One as a peer support worker in a psychoeducation community program. In this job, I assist in teaching skills related to mental health topics and provide an element of peer support to our classes. The skills we teach improves the quality of our participants lives and the peer support transforms them.

My other job is at a short-stay residential suicide stabilization program called Calgary Respite House. We service guests who have had a recent suicide attempt or are at a high risk of dying by suicide and meet other criteria that makes them a fit for our program. The staff at the house are a mixture of peer support workers and mental health workers who have lived experience with dealing with suicide related issues or have family members who have struggled with similar problems. This fact alone makes our guests feel instantly comfortable and positive to the point where they are able to smile and potentially engage in humorous conversations after a couple of days.

The house has a clean, modern design that includes features that keep our guests safe. Each guest has their own room with a private washroom. The ample common areas have relaxing furniture, TV sets and throw blankets which contribute to the home-like feel of the house and makes our guests feel valued, comfortable and respected. During their stay, they receive peer support and are empowered to write a safety and a recovery plan for use when they are at risk in the future.

Peer support workers are starting to be added to community and medical mental health teams and programs. It is frustrating for me that there are not more positions for peer support workers. Trained peer support workers’ expertise and skills could be part of the solution to the huge need for mental health support in our society. Without peer support, there is a gap in the services available to people who struggle with their mental health.

Allan

P.S. I am sure many people will read this blog and think I am exaggerating about the impact peer support workers can have on the lives of people who are struggling with their mental health. If you have had your life change because of peer support or you are a peer support worker who has witnessed these types of changes please leave a comment below. If you wish to remain anonymous you can email me at allangeraldcooper@gmail.com and I can post your comments without your name.

If you are struggling with suicide related issues, please contact supports in your area.

Distress Centre Lines

Crisis Services Canada 1-833-456-4566

Lifeline (US) 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Befriends Worldwide (International)

Lifeline (Australia) 13-11-14

Allan Moves for Movember

November 1, 2021 /

The rate of suicide among people who have bipolar disorder is approximately 10 -30 times higher than the general population. Researchers estimate that between 25% and 60% of individuals with bipolar disorder will attempt suicide at least once in their lives and between 20% (of mostly untreated) people who have bipolar disorder will die by suicide. The reasons why this occurs can be complex but I will try to explain it from the perspective of someone who has the illness.

Most of these deaths occur during depressive episodes. When you understand the symptoms of depressive episodes it is easier to understand why these deaths occur. The first problematic symptom is that depressive episodes give you suicidal ideation. Our illness impacts our thoughts and behaviour when we are acutely ill. This is a physical response caused by the illness. In my experience, pep talks and trying to have a positive attitude will have little impact in improving these thoughts when our symptoms are severe. In fact, people may conclude that they are to blame for their symptoms because they are not trying hard enough to have a positive attitude which reaffirms any negative thoughts they are having about themselves.

There are other symptoms of depressive episodes that can contribute to suicidal ideation. You have thoughts that you are worthless, no one likes you, and every aspect of life appears dark. Depressive episodes create concentration problems which make conversations impossible. During acute depressive episodes it is very difficult to enjoy anything. This means eating, entertainment, family gatherings, music, Netflix do nothing for you. It feels like you are a shell of a human being, and it is easy to conclude that there is no purpose to staying alive.

Often people who have depressive episodes think their episode will continue for the rest of their lives which is rarely the case. We generally go back to baseline, and we may even head into hypomania or mania. It’s a journey to get the right mix of medication, therapy and a positive routine to create a positive life long term. There are many people who have bipolar disorder who are able to do this, one need only attend a peer support group to meet some of them.

This year, I will be participating in Move for Movember. For this campaign, I will be walking 60 km this month for the 60 men we lose every hour around the world to suicide. There is simply not enough support for men to receive the treatment they need to prevent these deaths so I am going to participate in the walk so that in my small way I can contribute to a solution to this problem. If you would like to make a donation in my name please click here.

If you are suffering from suicidal ideation, please know you are not alone. There are many people who have suffered just like you are. It is possible to have a better life. You may not be able to think of a solution to your problems but that does not mean that a solution does not exist.

Below are a few links to resources for support for people who are struggling with suicidal ideation.

Peer Support

OBAD (Organization for Bipolar Affective Disorder)

DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance DBSA)

Distress Centre Lines

Crisis Services Canada 1-833-456-4566

Lifeline (US) 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Befriends Worldwide (International)

Lifeline (Australia) 13-11-14

Bipolar Disorder and Stress

May 31, 2021 /
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Stress management plays an integral role in maintaining a stable life when you have bipolar disorder. High levels of stress can trigger acute depressive and manic episodes. The frequency and severity of these episodes can be reduced by a lifestyle that is conducive to a lower stress level.  Having a life that is suitable for your tolerance of stress, healthy relationships, a support system, counselling, and other wellness practices can help manage the symptoms of bipolar disorder.

Finding an activity level that is congruent with someone who has bipolar disorder’s tolerance for stress comes from experience. It is only after having multiple episodes can it be determined how sensitive an individual’s bipolar disorder is to stress. Once a pattern emerges, decisions can be made on matters like the capacity to maintain employment or attend school. These decisions can be hard on one’s self esteem, but they may be necessary for long term stability.

When you have bipolar disorder, navigating personal relationships in a positive way can reduce the chances of stress induced acute symptoms. There is no black and white approach that can be used to do this. Using relationship skills is more of an art that takes into consideration the consequences of changing behaviour, one’s sense of duty, power dynamics and the nature of the relationship. Learning about healthy boundaries and other social skills an be helpful. The Canadian Mental Health Association offers free courses online on these topics in their Calgary Recovery College.

You cannot maintain stability without a support network. Psychologist Kelly McGonigal makes the argument that stress is good for us as long as we seek the support of others in her TED talk How to Make Stress Your Friend. While this view may be extreme for people who have bipolar disorder, it illustrates the value of having support. The support of family and friends is essential for people who have bipolar disorder and peer support groups like those offered by OBAD or the DBSA can be life changing.

Counseling can play a significant role in reducing stress. People who have experienced trauma from life experiences or their episodes can benefit from therapy that addresses these issues. Counselling can also help with negative thought patterns, emotional dysregulation, and relationships.  

Mindfulness, a life practice that grounds you in the present moment, and exercise are often recommended as ways to decrease stress. While it is true that incorporating these two things into your life will reduce your stress it may be a challenge to maintain a routine that includes these activities given the constant change in our symptoms. For this reason, I feel it is important to decrease stress in multiple areas of life.

Maintaining a positive life when you have bipolar disorder requires a lot of work. One must be mindful of their symptoms, be an active participant in finding the right medication, and create a life with a manageable level of stress. It takes a long time to build all of this into your life but usually the suffering decreases along the way and the frequency of consistent moments of joy increase.

This will be my last written blog until September 6, 2021. For the next three months, I will be sharing a link to my podcast, “The Bipolar Disorder Moment” where I will be reading excerpts from my book , Brain Betrayal: The Allan They Never Met, every week. My book has not been published yet but hopefully a publisher will pick it up in the near future.

Please subscribe to my site if you would like to receive a link to my blog emailed to you every week.

Discussing Peer Support, Hypomania and Creativity with OBAD Executive Director Kaj Korvela

January 11, 2021 /
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko from Pexels

This week my blog features a podcast interview with Kaj Korvela, Executive Director of OBAD, the Organization for Bipolar Affective Disorder. We discuss the value of peer support, hypomania and how creativity is experienced by people who have bipolar disorder.

Discussing Peer Support, Hypomania and Creativity with OBAD Executive Director Kaj Korvela

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