How can you encourage a peer to adhere to their treatment plan?

Well, first of all, quit calling it a "treatment plan." Most problematic behavior is caused by exposure or involvement in overwhelming events. This language, straight from the medical model, doesn't work. Try "a self-development plan," or "a plan to improve the strengths you use daily." Something that calls it what it should be instead of something that pathologizes. The plans meet a couple of criteria to increase the chances of being used by anyone: --Folks need to be involved in creating them. --Actions the plans require need to hit the "dopamine buttons" often. --Make goals teeny-weeny steps accompanied by frequent celebrations. Create a strength-based plan aligned with SAMHSA's Six Principles.

First, as a Peer, I'm not creating a treatment plan with the individual. I assist the individual in creating their recovery plan. The plan created needs to be their goals, not mine. After the individual creates their recovery plan, if they aren't working on what they planned, I become curious. Did they change their mind on what their priority is? Is there a barrier I don't see getting in their way? It's not compliance, it's something else. I get curious and ask. If they want/need to shift gears, I want to know so I can shift my support to align.

Encouraging a peer to adhere to their treatment plan requires a combination of support, understanding, and effective communication. Here are some steps to consider: 1. **Empathy and Understanding**: Put yourself in their shoes. Understand their fears, concerns, or reasons for non-adherence. 2. **Open Dialogue**: Create an environment where they feel comfortable discussing their treatment. 3. **Educate**: Sometimes, a better understanding of the importance and benefits of the treatment can motivate adherence. 4. **Encourage Independence**: Encourage them to take ownership of their health. Remember, building trust and showing genuine care are at the heart of encouraging someone to prioritize their health.

1. First motivate into action. Put yourself in their shoes and see if you can feel what they feel. 2. Prayer for them as people in pains can be self destructive. 3. Be patience and teach them to be patient and trust the process.

Leveraging on my relationship with them as a safe space to discuss their reservations towards treatment, their observations, feelings and experiences so far in treatment. Evaluating what is not working and considering available options for better experiences. Confronting current realities and prognosis outcomes for different options. Reminding them of their fidelity to the profession, the bigger picture in 'Why' they do what they do and reconnecting with the 'Why' they got into the profession.

OK, so I'm a radical--my lived experience and my work make me hypersensitive to language and thinking that helps keep people "sick," oppressed and deeply colonized by the system of care. When I looked at how people who were doing better than I was did it? I found markers of functioning that helped me tremendously. After a while, this meant rejecting a lot of the medical model ideas and language. When I focused on functioning over symptoms and personal neuroplasticity? It took time, and it worked.

Remind them of the advise/support they/or another gave me when I was in a similar space in the past and how their support immensely contributed to my wellbeing to date. Disclosing my skepticism about my process and how curiosity kept me going on with the treatment plan to see what surprises lay ahead and better understand myself. Sharing my moments with others in similar spaces helped me realize the situation was not unique to me and that others had survived it. Revealing that having a reliable, predictable and consistent structure helped hold together the parts that I felt were slipping out of control.

Open and non-judgmental communication is essential. By adopting a Motivational Interviewing approach, one can explore and resolve ambivalence to change. This technique can help empower the individual to recognize their own reasons for adherence and make well-informed decisions. Second, employing cognitive-behavioral strategies can be beneficial. Goal-setting and problem-solving exercises can help in the identification of potential barriers to adherence and provide tangible steps for overcoming these barriers.

Sharing personal experiences can be a potent tool, but it needs to be approached with sensitivity and respect. When we hear real-life stories, it often resonates on a deeper level, envisioning in a similar situation or relate to the emotions shared. For example, if I had undergone a challenging treatment plan, I might say: I completely understand your hesitation. When I was going through [specific treatment], I had so many reservations. I was worried about [side effects/cost/time commitment], and there were moments when I wanted to quit. But over time, I noticed ................. and found that particular resources or strategies really helped me stay on track and were helpful as I made our decision."

Before you share on your experience, understand what the person's concerns are without judgement. We tend to rush to share our experiences as a way to "be helpful," but often our stories (although powerful) are not what the person truly needs. It is best to actively listen. Now if the person, asks "how did you handle this?" Then provide your experience with the understanding of what they are truly seeking for - validation, understanding, acceptance, or inspiration.

Evaluate what options are accessible and the ones that are inaccessible. Determine the motivations/logic/rationale or attitudes/emotions/cognitions behind choosing or rejecting each option explored. Establish together what is fact and what is fiction. Give clarity on where delusions are presented. Help question the real vs perceived. Suggest personal involvement in physical presence with them on some of the tasks where there is inertia. Show intent and genuineness in helping find options to achieving their desired end.

It's incredibly useful to understand what the barriers are to adhering to one's plan. These can range from the practical -- they devised a plan that doesn't match up with their way of being -- to the emotional. Fear, shame and denial are often at the root of the challenge. It's useful to adopt a mindset of belief and encouragement to not only project your support but also to help them replace the negative self-talk that is getting in their way with positive beliefs about their abililty to succeed.

Advocacy is crucial when supporting someone in this position. Sometimes folks on a treatment plan become overwhelmed with all the advice, all the choices, and can shut down. As their advocate, you can speak up for them when they're just "over it" and help communicate their struggles and their wishes when they don't have the words or get tired of health providers who are tone deaf.

When a peer is not satisfied with their treatment plan, it may be necessary to explore avenues for customization to better align the plan with their unique needs and preferences. Using shared decision-making models can help to foster a sense of ownership and agency over one's own treatment. Empowering the individual to articulate their concerns can lead to more effective communication with providers.

Focus on positive reinforcement by asking for examples on how their "treatment plan" has helped his/her so far. Let them "see" on their own the benefits (if any) of their current plan.

Always be focused, have your choices right, your priorities right, be determined. Also believe in yourself and have a positive mind set.

Language is everything. As noted by several of my peers, renaming it from treatment plan to healthy-living goals or something else positive is important. Also, encourage and help your peer to create SMART goals within their plan that are comprised of bight-sized, easily doable steps so that they enjoy feelings of success along the way. Furthermore, remind them that no one is infallible and difficulties and challenges will be part of their healthy wellness vision, and you are there to support them. Helping them find other coping mechanisms and tools to empower them to find their own success during low moments will be crucial.

Hand them the steering wheel! They need to understand that they are the only person who can affect the outcome. It is very easy to fall into the role of passenger in their health journey; expecting their HCP, peer or family to drive the treatment process. As a peer or HCP, we can travel along, act as navigator, help refuel their tank, and occasionally push-start their engine, but only they can drive that car to their health destination. They also need to understand that how they drive that car, can and will affect the people with them in the car, as well as anyone on the road. For example, defaulting on TB medication is equivalent to reckless driving. Help them see their greater responsibility.

Is it even my business to comment on my Peer’s treatment plan? I suppose if he/she has told me about it and that they are not following it, but I can’t imagine me asking about it or trying to follow up with them unless they have specifically asked for help. Sometimes we have knowledge of things that aren’t really any of our business. But if somebody asks my opinion, I think that sharing a personal experience is a great way to connect with them on the topic and also asking if there is anything you can do to help. They may actually want an accountability buddy, or want to help looking for alternatives, but are too afraid to ask for it .

First of all, one need to understand & empathize him to explore if he has any valid reason. I will first do this & try to address the same if it is something really affecting his Treatment Regimen, Secondly, I will be try to explain & exemplify the consequences of Improper Dosage or Improper Treatment & it's impact both on the Cure of the Ailment or at times even how it contributes for the reccurence. Thirdly, I will try to explain why every medicine & it's dosage to address symptoms or complications. I will also explain the stages of Treatment - Therapeutic (to cure or reduce the Ailment), Prophylactic (Preventive) & Convalescent (Helps in the recovery phase of the disease - for example - as in the case of Typhoid or Severe Viral Fevers)

Another great way to help people in transition is to just be there. Be available just to listen if they want to vent, or just be there and keep quiet because your presence alone brings them comfort. So many folks don't want to "be a burden" or get on your nerves with their needs, so it's up to you to reiterate that you're available if they need you. And make sure they know you mean it.