World Health Tips

We always associate peer pressure with negative attributes. The myth of peer pressure is that it drives us to do things that are not in our best interest. Let’s reframe peer pressure and see how it can serve you in improving your health and help you develop your inner illness warrior. Recent research by David Spiegel at Stanford University shows that although support groups don’t increase longevity, they do increase the quality of life of participants.

The most likely place to engage peer pressure following an illness diagnosis is a support group. Most organizations have disease specific groups so that the members have a common ground and language. One of the aspects of a support group is that its admission is rolling so people leave and new people enter the group so you have varying levels of experience with the illness. Here’s some ways that peer pressure in the group can improve your health.

Creating Options and Alternatives
No matter how much research we do we won’t be able to discover every treatment option, alternative therapies or allied health resources related to our illness. Everyone’s interests will differ so if you’re more inclined to research natural remedies, someone else in group may be looking at clinical trials for new allopathic treatments. It’s this opportunity to create a treatment buffet that broadens your options in planning for treatment. There is an increased likelihood that we’ll follow through on treatment when we have more information about options and alternatives. Having the power of choice that is instigated by members of the group is empowering.

Making Decisions
Having others in a group who are ahead of you in the treatment process is a gift. You don’t have to re-invent the wheel. You don’t have blaze any new trails. All you have to do is get the information both factual and anecdotal and make informed decisions. The members of your group will offer their input but it’s not a prescription, it’s only their experience. The members of the group are like a living pro and con list offering you the triumphs and tragedies that come with specific treatments. Take the information and use it to make treatment choices that fit your life and your end goal correlating with your definition of wellness or health.

Keeping You On Track
One of the great assets of belong to a support group is that once you make a decision and announce it to the world you have group that will hold accountable for your actions. You will be asked about how your implementing the treatment plan and how it’s impacting your day-to-day life. They aren’t trying to bully you, but the simple truth is that compliance with treatment regimens increases your chances at recovery. You don’t get to pick and choose the days you take your medication, it’s non-negotiable.

By joining a support group you enlist your own illness army. The information available to you is priceless. You can cut a lot of time off your learning curve about coping with illness from those who are ahead of you on their own journey to wellness.

Looking for other ways to shorten your learning curve on coping with illness? Get your FREE copy of our special report “The 5 Pillars of Health and Healing” and as a special gift you’ll receive our audiovisual program “Instilling Hope for Health”. It’s available right now and it’s FREE at http://www.survivingstrong.com

Tags: Support Groups, Illness and Depression

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