The Power of Peer Support: How Sharing Circles Can Transform Mental Health Care

India is seeing a rise in mental health issues, with nearly one in seven people suffering from mental health issues, a situation that has only worsened since the pandemic. Yet the path to help is littered with obstacles: stigma, neglect, and a severe shortage of mental health professionals. No wonder the gap between awareness and action is stark: more than 80% of those who need help are simply not getting the mental health support they need.

This is where peer support can be a key solution. Peer support involves getting help from people who have similar experiences, whether it’s diagnosed mental health issues or other forms of emotional distress. Think of it as getting help from someone who knows your struggles firsthand and can offer empathy and guidance that’s rooted in real experiences.

Research has shown that peer support can be extremely effective and may even provide comparable benefits to traditional forms of mental health care, such as therapy.

What are partial circles?

Peer support can take many forms, and sharing circles is one such approach. Sharing circles are different from support groups, which tend to be more structured, where people with a specific problem meet periodically with set goals to hold themselves accountable, and there is usually professional guidance.

Sharing circles, on the other hand, are more informal. They can focus on specific issues like depression, anxiety, or even broader issues like caregiving. This flexibility makes them a more accessible option for people who are new to seeking help. Additionally, the cadence of these circles is less rigid, usually once or twice a month, making them an easier option for people with busy schedules.

How do sharing circles help your mental health?

They lower the threshold for seeking help: In India, therapy is often seen as intimidating and clinical, and is still heavily stigmatized. Sharing circles offer a more accessible and less formal entry point for those starting out on their mental health journey.

They help with validation and self-realization: Validation is a core component of mental health care. Knowing that you are not alone and that others have been through similar experiences can be a huge help when you are struggling. Hearing the experiences of others and sharing your own in a safe space also helps with articulation: it helps us understand and acknowledge aspects of our own well-being that we may not have recognized before.

They build collective resilience: Sharing circles help to improve mental health literacy while building collective resilience. Learning from the experiences of others helps us learn how to better manage personal challenges and even support others who are struggling. This is especially vital in areas where professional mental health services are scarce.

They humanize mental health: When we think about mental health, we often think about clinical conditions, diagnoses and ‘labels’. But sharing circles can be an important way to humanise mental health by focusing more on the people, rather than the diagnosis, and their life experiences, which may be different to textbook approaches. It also helps us understand that mental health is not just about ‘illnesses’, it is a spectrum of wellbeing – something we need to nurture.

Do’s and Don’ts in Sharing Circles

· Circles must be hosted by trained hosts. While not all types of circles require a professional psychologist, all sharing circles require a host who is trained in facilitating group settings specifically for mental health.

· Maintaining confidentiality and/or anonymity within the circle and after the meeting.

· Use trigger warnings for self-harm or abuse before discussing them in the circle

· Do not use offensive or stigmatizing language when referring to mental health conditions

· Don’t interrupt or ask follow-up questions about what the other person has shared. Everyone should share as much or as little as they feel comfortable with.

How participants felt after attending circles

In our experience, participants describe their experience of attending Circles as overwhelmingly positive. These gatherings are sometimes the first real step for people to seek support for mental health, where they leave not only with a sense of validation, but also with new insights into their conditions. Most importantly, it helps participants build empathy for the people and their personal experiences, and feel seen on their own journey as they deal with emotional distress.

Circles offer a unique and powerful way to address the current mental health crisis in India. By embracing the lived experiences of individuals, sharing circles help cultivate a more supportive and understanding community, better prepared to tackle mental health challenges together.

(Pooja Khanna is the founder of Mindhouse, a mental health startup)