Perspectives on challenges and opportunities in Norwegian peer recovery services for people living with dual diagnosis during a pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures required to address it has brought on major challenges to health-care systems worldwide, and particularly to vulnerable populations. Individuals struggling with substance abuse and mental health distress (dual diagnosis—DUD) may be particularly vulnerable as the pandemic may increase the extent and severity of drug abuse and mental health issues. The challenges in maintaining treatment during the pandemic lockdown has urged also Norwegian peer recovery services to rethink their organization.

Within the field of substance abuse treatment and recovery, collaboration between the public health system and nonprofit organizations is increasingly recognized as an essential part of innovation and development in the field (1,2). The peer recovery services the authors are involved in, as researchers, are low threshold for people living with DUD in Norway, where they get their own recovery coaches to help them with their everyday life and drug-free activities. Use of peer recovery services has provided a new form of expertise and avenues for building trust between people struggling with substance abuse and mental health distress and service providers. Systematic reviews based on international studies of peer-delivered recovery support for people living with DUD also show promising results including reduced substance use and relapse rates, greater treatment satisfaction, improved relationship between with treatment providers, and increased treatment retention (3 –5).