Ask the Peer Specialists is a new column edited by Paul Chipkin, a frequent writer in New York City Voices. A Peer Specialist is a person with a mental illness who has been trained to run support groups for peers with mental illness, to train peers and advocate for peers. It is a fairly new profession exclusively for people who have mental illnesses developed with the idea that “peer support” is essential to help someone with a mental illness recover and return to the community. This concept was developed by groups like Alcoholics Anonymous with the idea that people who share powerful and tragic experiences can best support one another through life. In this column a person with mental illness asks a question and the peer specialists answer it.

: Police should be called when a situation is dangerous—period!

: Who will squeeze a forgotten soul on the path? I need love, too. I really, really do!

: Can we be ever more generous, because it is more fun than not and because we believe in it?