Finding Hope Through Peer Support Systems

CW: Mentions of suicide.

Friends are incredibly important, especially for students who spend so much time around our peers during the day. Yet, there are so many aspects to friendships that often go overlooked. Personally, I have struggled with recognizing the true value of friendship, particularly as my mental health challenges have turned me into more of an introvert than I used to be. Many people still describe me as the most extroverted person they have ever met, but that perception shifted when my struggles began–and the pandemic only made it worse. 

Despite this, I have discovered the true power of friends. Being around a good group of friends not only brings you joy, but they also offer a vital support system when you’re away from home. Ideally, this support system (hopefully) is reciprocal,  so you’re also there for them. When I mention a support system, I’m not just referring to the typical definition. What I mean is that if a person is struggling with their mental health or perhaps even suicidal ideation, it’s often their peers who notice the signs or symptoms.

Studies show that suicide is one of the most preventable types of deaths. Additionally, 90% of people who attempt suicide have a treatable mental health condition. With 50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness beginning by age 14, this shows the need for early intervention in schools. Students spend a lot more time in schools than they do at home so there is a much higher chance that these signs are more visible there. 

Roughly 70% of young people will tell a friend that they are feeling suicidal before telling anyone else. However, we know that most young people who find out that their friend is experiencing this don’t often know what to do. They don’t know how to handle these scenarios to get their friend help and connect them with a trusted adult or resource. Most individuals who die by suicide did display signs at some point which is why all community members, but especially peers, need to be trained to help identify signs and prevent suicides since they are the ones around other young people the most. 

So, how do we address this? As a starting point, there are programs like Hope Squad that train students to identify signs of mental health struggles or suicidal ideation in peers. Trainees learn how to direct their peers to resources and help if they are ever approached about these struggles or notice a friend who is struggling. It is important to note that these students aren’t trained to intervene themselves, but rather help their peers connect with a qualified adult who can get them the mental health care that they need. All students are asked to identify which peers they would turn to in a moment of crisis, and those selected students receive specialized training. This way, everyone knows that these students are trained to connect them to available resources. 

These types of trainings and programs also open up the conversations in schools about mental health and suicide prevention. Often, there is significant stigma surrounding this issue, particularly in schools. This can lead to feelings of hopelessness among students, making them believe they have nowhere to turn for help. In my school, I was even told not to use the word “suicide” in front of a crowd of high school students as they “might not be old enough for this issue.” How can we stop it from happening if we can’t even say the word? In my opinion, it’s incredibly helpful to have a fellow student who is equipped to assist you if you ever need it. 

With this in mind, we also must ensure that teachers, parents, and school staff are properly trained to effectively respond to mental health crises. That way, the entire community is engaged–not only do they learn how to identify signs of distress, but they also understand how to refer students to help. In conclusion, we should all truly value the power of friends as a part of our support system and advocate for school leaders and lawmakers to establish peer training programs. Choose friends who will stand by you, even when times are tough!  After all, they’re the family that you get to choose!

Works cited:

Hoffman, Stacey. “1 in 5 Children, Ages 13 to 18, Have or Will Have a Mental Health Condition.” Adapt For Life, 2 Sept. 2020, adaptforlife.org/tiles/statistics. Accessed 04 Oct. 2024. 

“Mental Health Conditions.” NAMI, 13 Sept. 2024, nami.org/about-mental-illness/mental-health-conditions/. Accessed 04 Oct. 2024.