From Spoon Theory to Peer Support

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From Spoon Theory to Peer Support

• Ellie Stewart
• and
• Naomi Salisbury

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Nobody realizes that some people expend
tremendous energy merely to be normal Albert
Camus
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(No Transcript)
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• I explained that the difference in being sick
  and being healthy is having to make choices or to
  consciously think about things when the rest of
  the world doesnt have to.
• The healthy have the luxury of a life without
  choices, a gift most people take for granted.
• - Spoon Theory by Christine Miserandino
• www.butyoudontlooksick.com

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Spoon Theory and BPD

• How does it relate to BPD?

• elanajohnson.blogspot.com

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Spoon Theory and BPD

• Whats different for BPD?

• boards.straightdope.com

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Spoon Theory and BPD

• Whats the same for BPD?

coyerhanging.info
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Spoon Theory and BPD

• Spoons and Symptoms

http//claireneelymd.com/
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Giving Spoons

• feeling supported by friends ? ?
• feeling supported by professionals ? ?
• feeling understood ? ?
• being heard ? ?
• being kind to myself ? ?
• doing relaxation ?
• doing exercise ?
• feeling appreciated ?
• sense of belonging ?
• sense of purpose ?

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Taking Spoons

• lack of support/understanding ? ? ?
• exhaustion ? ? ?
• dealing with intense emotions on daily basis ?
  ? ?
• chronic anxiety ? ? ?
• eating three meals a day ? ? ?
• being under pressure ? ?
• making decisions ? ?
• relationship difficulties ? ?
• loneliness, social isolation ? ?
• professionals not returning phone calls ? ?

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Everyone has Different Experiences

• The symptoms
• Getting and living with the diagnosis
• Treatment
• What helps you manage
• Where you are in your life
• What support you need
• Who you are!

www.standoutblogger.com
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Peer Support

• Something we have in common and agree gives us
  spoons!
• In Edinburgh based around an internet group and
  meets about once a month for coffee and a chat
• Space to share experiences and useful information
  and where people feel understood without having
  to explain yourself

http//elearning.rcplondon.ac.uk/Pages/default.asp
x
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Dont people just get together and compare
techniques?

• Peer Support is not about joining a club for
  the mentally ill. It is not a competition of
  stories or symptoms or about being rescued or
  infantilized.
• Peer Support A Theoretical Perspective

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What is Peer Support?

• It is about understanding anothers situation
  empathically through the shared experience of
  emotional and psychological pain. When people
  find affiliation with others they feel are like
  them, they feel a connection.
• - Peer Support A Theoretical Perspective
• In general, peer support has been defined by
  the fact that people who have like experiences
  can better relate and can consequently offer a
  more authentic empathy and validation.
• Peer Support What Makes It Unique?

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Peer Support in Scotland

• Home-Grown Advocacy Organisations
• Lots of local and online networks
• Scottish Recovery Network
• Delivering for Mental Health Peer Support Worker
  Pilot Scheme
• Towards a Mentally Flourishing Scotland

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Peer Support in Edinburgh

• Wide range of groups including BPD Social Group
• Meets at least once a month for coffee and a chat
  in a central location
• Uses an online forum to organise meetings and
  discuss issues in between
• Forum to offer and get support and information

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How Does It Work?

• On your own terms come along to meet-ups or
  post if you want to no obligations and no
  pressure
• Level of Anonymity book club sign at meet-up,
  not talking about the group if you meet outside
  it, meeting in a busy central café, personal
  details only shared by mutual agreement
• Reciprocal sometimes people get support or
  information, sometimes they provide it everyone
  recognises everyone has something to bring

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The best support Ive found actually is this
group, cos like I say on the first meeting I
dont know what I was looking for, a bunch of I
dont know, loonies, what do a bunch of BPD-ers
look like? It was only when I sat there in the
cafe thinking I have no idea what Im looking
for And that was a quite reassuring because
everybodys quite normal
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Whats the Benefit?

• Everyone is equal and everyone has something to
  offer
• Dont have to explain yourself
• Get useful information for example around
  benefits, health services and advocacy
• Feel supported to make changes
• Gain confidence from others who have gone before
  you
• Gain confidence from helping others who are where
  you once were

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Being part of BPD group has been massively
helpful to not feel so alone, and see that there
are lovely, bright, intelligent people with
similar experiences
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What are the Limitations?

• Doesnt replace professional support and
  treatment
• Is not crisis support
• Is not for everyone
• Need to be in the right place which is
  different for everyone
• Personality clashes can happen
• If everyone gets ill at the same time it might
  fold

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Why Does It Give You Spoons?

• lack of support/understanding ? ? ?
• exhaustion ? ? ?
• dealing with intense emotions ? ? ?
• relationship difficulties ? ?
• loneliness, social isolation ? ?
• All take away spoons, BUT can
• be addressed by peer support

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Why Does It Give You Spoons?

• feeling supported by friends ? ?
• feeling understood ? ?
• being heard ? ?
• being kind to myself ? ?
• feeling appreciated ?
• sense of belonging ?
• sense of purpose ?

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• The thing that has been particularly useful is
  peer support, is actually sitting next to people
  who appear relatively normal, who arent howling
  at the moon, but who share certain personality
  traits I guess.
• Theyre funny, witty, charming folk, yet they
  experience some of the things that I do and its
  that validation which is absolutely colossal,
  its probably the biggest thing in all of this.
• Its feeling that Im not that different to
  everybody, because I think any mental health
  problem is very isolating, and having that was
  great.

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Thank You and Any Questions?

• Thanks for listening
• A huge thank you to all the members of the
  Edinburgh BPD Social Group
• Anything you want to ask?

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References

• Evaluation of the Delivering for Mental Health
  Peer Support Worker Pilot Scheme Scottish
  Government Social Research
• www.scotland.gov.uk/socialresearch
• Mead, Shery, Hilton, David and Curtis, Laurie
  Peer Support A Theoretical Perspective
• http//www.mentalhealthpeers.com/pdfs/peersupport
  .pdf
• Mead, Shery and MacNeil, Cheryl - Peer Support
  A Systemic Approach
• www.mentalhealthpeers.com/pdfs/PeerSupportSystemi
  cApproach.pdf
• Mead, Shery and MacNeil, Cheryl Peer Support
  What Makes It Unique?
• http//www.mentalhealthpeers.com/pdfs/PeerSupport
  Unique.pdf
• Miserandino, Christine The Spoon Theory
• http//www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/writte
  n-by-christine/the-spoon-theory-written-by-christi
  ne-miserandino/

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Contact Details

• Ellie Stewart
• squeeblegirl_at_gmail.com
• Naomi Salisbury CAPS Advocacy
• naomi_at_capsadvocacy.org
• 0131 538 7177