Category: Suicide

Could Two Hours of Peer Support Change Your Life?

February 8, 2026 / Allan Cooper / 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

Rebuilding Your Life After a Severe Episode

November 22, 2021 / Allan Cooper

Having bipolar disorder can result in many losses that may destroy one’s belief in the possibility of returning to a positive life. Acute manic or depressive episodes can result in a lose of employment, relationships with a spouse, friends, and colleagues. Plus, it is common for people to lose all their money and assets.

For example, one could have a severe manic episode that results in an extreme amount of spending which can burn through people’s savings and assets. During this episode, one can become irritable which can lead to a loss of a job or relationships. If you experience psychosis such as hallucinations, paranoia or delusions of grandeur, people do not understand you are simply not well and may become fearful of you which can also lead to a loss of relationships. Perhaps, your spouse decides they cannot deal with the drama of your illness, and they leave. In just a couple of months, you can lose all your money, assets friendships, job, and spouse.

At the end of a manic episode a depressive episode will follow which includes symptoms like extreme exhaustion, body aches, poor concentration, suicidal ideation, and an inability to enjoy anything. It feels like you are a shell of a human being and it’s easy to become hopeless. However, it is possible to rebuild your life after this happens even though it seems impossible. I, and many other people who have bipolar disorder, have been able to claw their way back to a life they enjoy after these types of incidents.

My first depressive episode was the greatest amount of suffering I have ever experienced. I had lost everything. My career, marriage, all of my money and most of my friendships. My appetite was so poor I hardly ate anything, and I had to use two hands to brush my teeth. I spent several months lying in bed. This is common during depressive episodes because the fatigue is extreme, and the warmth of the bed helps ease the pain of the body aches.

To recover from this episode I made incremental improvements in my life on a daily basis. My first goal was to spend more time sitting up in bed rather than lying down the whole day. Eventually, I was able to spend more time out of bed. Then, I built on the tiny successes everyday. I would simply do my best to make the day a little bit better than the previous day. Eventually, this created a kind of moment that helped me start down the path of wellness.

This November I have been participating in Move for Movember, an initiative where I have to walk 60 km in one month for the 60 men who die by suicide every hour around the world. You can donate by clicking here. I was hesitant to participate in this campaign because last month I walked 0 km. But I used the same approach to completing the challenge that I have used to rebuild my life when bipolar takes so much from me. At first, I just did 2 km/day. Everyday, I managed to do a tiny bit and recently my walks have been longer. I have completed 56 km and there are still a few days left in November.

When bipolar disorder destroys your life the thought of ever having a life you enjoy again seems unfathomable, but it is possible. Methodically rebuilding your life one small piece at a time is the only way to get your life. Many people who have bipolar have done it so there is always hope that life will get better.

Allan Moves for Movember

November 1, 2021 / Allan Cooper

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