.png)
.jpg)
Peer Support Chat
Sometimes you just need someone to listen.
Living with MS can bring a lot with it. You might be newly diagnosed and trying to make sense of everything, going through a difficult patch, feeling overwhelmed or isolated, or simply having one of those days where you want to talk to someone who gets it.
Our Peer Support Chat gives you a space to do exactly that.
Our trained volunteers all live with MS themselves. They’re here to listen, offer peer support and help you find further information or support when you need it.
Please note: Our Peer Support Chat is not a live chat. We aim to respond to all messages within 5 working days and will often get back to you sooner.
How does it work?
Getting in touch is simple.
01. Start a chat on WhatsApp
Click the button below to open a conversation with the MS Together Peer Support team.
.svg)
02. Tell us what’s on your mind
Send us a message about whatever is going on for you. You can share as much or as little as you feel comfortable with.
03. One of our volunteers will reply
One of our trained Peer Support volunteers will respond to your message. They can listen, talk things through with you and help you explore other support if you need it.
We aim to respond to all messages within 5 working days. We’ll often get back to you sooner, but please remember that our team is made up of volunteers and the chat isn’t monitored continuously.
What can I talk about?
Whatever is on your mind. You might want to talk about:
- being newly diagnosed or adjusting to life with MS
- having a difficult day
- feeling worried, overwhelmed or isolated
- dealing with the uncertainty that can come with MS
- work, study or navigating everyday life
- relationships, family or friendships
- worries about the future
- a difficult appointment or experience
- finding other sources of information or support
- something you’re finding hard to talk about with the people around you
- or simply wanting to talk to someone who understands
You don’t need to be in crisis or have a particular problem to message us. Sometimes it just helps to talk.
Who is the Peer Support Chat for?
Our Peer Support Chat is primarily here for people living with MS who need someone to talk to.
We know that MS can affect the people around you too, so the chat is also open to partners, family members, friends and others affected by MS who may need a listening ear or help finding the right support.
Whether you’re living with MS yourself or supporting someone who is, you’re welcome to reach out.
What can our volunteers help with?
Our volunteers can listen without judgement, offer peer support and help signpost you to further information, organisations or services.
They all have their own lived experience of MS, but everyone’s experience is different. They won’t tell you what you should do based on their own experience.
.svg)
Our volunteers are not counsellors or medical professionals, so they can’t provide counselling, diagnose symptoms, give medical advice or make recommendations about medication or treatment.
.svg)
If what you need is outside the scope of peer support, we’ll do our best to help you find somewhere more appropriate.
Confidentiality and safeguarding
We want the Peer Support Chat to be a space where you feel comfortable talking openly.
We’ll treat anything you share with care and respect. Your messages may be seen by members of the MS Together team involved in delivering and overseeing the Peer Support Chat.
We aim to keep what you tell us confidential. However, if you share something that makes us concerned about your safety or someone else’s safety, we may need to share information with our Safeguarding Lead or take further action in line with our safeguarding procedures.
Need support sooner?
The MS Together Peer Support Chat is not an emergency or crisis service. It isn’t monitored continuously and it can take up to 5 working days for us to respond.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, please call 999 in the UK or 112 in Ireland. If you need someone to talk to urgently, you can contact Samaritans free on 116 123, 24 hours a day.
If you need urgent medical advice, please contact the appropriate healthcare service where you live.
You don’t have to have the right words
Reaching out can sometimes be the hardest part.
You don’t need to explain everything perfectly, and you don’t need to know what you want from the conversation before you message us.
If something’s on your mind, we’re here to listen.
We aim to respond within 5 working days.
