The online communities i have chosen are in relation to depressions support and online chatting websites.
Here are the three i chose:
1. Depression facebook group- Link
This is a place where you can Join a depression group and chat online to each other. You have to sign up to facebook to use it but it seems like a nice place to talk to others with depression. The explantion of the group says there will be no judgement, and if so they will be kick out of the group. Also there are over 4000 people who have joined!
This site, once you join provides the user with a environment where they can chat to other people in the group online. It may be a good place to exchange feelings and talk about what you are experiencing. However there may be risk, as there is for all online chatting networks. This means if you are using this website DO NOT give out personal details.
People who use this site may want to find others out there that suffer from depression so they can relate feelings and actions expressed. Also information shared is reciprocal so they can have automatic conversation, rathe than by email.
Ethical issues are definitly around giving out information to strangers. Simply dont give out ur personal details to people you do not know.
The benefits of this page is that you are able to chat with people all over the world. However some people may feel more comfortable if it was just people in New Zealand. This online network may be full of fakes so watch who you talk to and talk about.
2. Depression Forums- Link
This site intentions are clearly explained by their mission statement, "Our mission is to create an atmosphere that is both supportive and informative in a caring, safe environment for our members to talk to their peers about depression, anxiety, mood disorders, medications, therapy and recovery."
Also this website has direct links to other sites that focus on depression. But also anxiety, bipolar and other mental illnesses.
This website, once you join can be very interative. There are multiple forums that can more specifically target your situation. For example new members forums, depression forums and relationship and depression forums. Anyone can join, and in these forums you can write how you are feeling and also comment on others comments in support. Also professional counselors are available to talk to and contribute to the forums.
People may contribute to the communities looking for support and also providing support to others. They may be seeking other who suffer from depression to then know they are not alone, and find other who understand their illness.
As all of the online communities i have looked at the accountability and lack of identity of the individuals is unknown. This means there could be people who are taking advantage of the forums and not being truthful.
This community is published all over the world so anybody can access it. This may have advantages like meeting new people from different places that can support you. But with the vast of people being able to access the forums means there may be even more people using it for the wrong reasons.
3. The low down- Link
This is a great website, especially for younger people. It has a interesting choise of navigating around the website and provides a supportive chat room. Also has stories of people with depression and information on the illness.
The low down provides a very interactive atmosphere that is more safe confidentuality wise that the facebook website. It provides a navigator that takes you through each bit of the website. Also they have a message board, where if you sign up, you can write how your feeling and others that are online can support you. This is a monitorted message board so it is a safe discussion environment.
People may choose this sight if they are a young teen looking for support, or to see other people suffer from this illness also. Information is reciporcal so comments can be passed from one person to another. Also they have a free txt number to txt for support. This can provide privacy, and may make someone feel more comfortable taking about their depression.
Ethical issues that may occuar from this website is that there may be lack of identity and accountability. So people may not be genuine about the process.
This online network however provides people all around New Zealand a service where they can go and chat with other people who have depression without judgement. This community may lack the opportunity to chat with people outside of New Zealand, who may be able to better support some people that are from overseas, but living here.
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