Online Support Groups

Support groups are very beneficial for those going through an illness or caring for a loved one going through an illness.  Being able to talk with others going through the same or similar thing helps you cope because they have a true understanding of what you are feeling.  Some benefits to support groups are: feeling less lonely and isolated, reducing anxiety and stress, being able to talk freely about your feelings, developing better coping skills, staying motivated to keep with your treatment plan, developing a sense of empowerment and hope, and developing a better understanding of your disease process. With the advantages we have today with the digital world support groups have become more readily available to everyone.  The development of online support groups has opened many doors to those who don't live near a local support group or those too ill to leave their home for one or simply to those afraid of joining one for one reason or another.

There are many online support groups available and this is a great tool that can be used for so many patients and family members.  You will want to make sure that your privacy will be kept when joining an online support group.  The privacy information should be listed on the site where you are accessing the support group.  Be cautious as there may be impersonators on the internet in some support groups that are trying to get your personal information.  So you want to make sure that you are on a reliable site before joining any online support groups.  There are benefits to using online support groups, some benefits include: more flexibility with participation, ability to remain anonymous, and the ability for those with no local support groups in their area to participate.  There can also be drawbacks to using online support groups: due to the ability to remain anonymous some may be inappropriate or disrespectful, misinterpretation of written text, isolation from other friends and family and those that are impersonating and preying on others.  So be cautious of the risks but also aware of the benefits and just be safe with the information that you give.

Some reliable sites for online support groups are:
American cancer society support groups for patients, survivors, and family members of cancer patients: http://www.cancer.org/treatment/support-programs-and-services/online-communities.html
Alzheimers support groups for those with Alzheimers or their caregivers: https://www.alz.org/events/event_search?etid=2&cid=0
Diabetes online forums and support groups:
https://community.diabetes.org/home
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) multiple options available for online and telephone support groups for many different mental illnesses and family members:
https://namipamainline.org/online-and-telephone-support-groups/
Online support groups for stroke survivors and caregivers:
https://supportnetwork.heart.org

Reference
Mayo Clinic. (2018). Support groups: Make connections, get help. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/support-groups/art-20044655