Friday, March 22, 2024

Online Support Groups For Teenage Depression

Most Active Anxiety Forum: Daily Strength

Online Social Support Groups May Help Treat Depression Among African American Women

Daily Strength

  • Cost: Free.
  • Therapy Modalities: Discussion forum.

Why We Chose It: Daily Strength lets users sign up and post anonymously in an anxiety group that has more than 20,000 members.

  • Members can create own forums

  • Can be totally anonymous

  • Forums not monitored

  • Member behavior on honor code

Daily Strength offers a variety of support groups, including one specifically for anxiety. The anxiety forum is active every day and the site tells you how many members are currently online. Its free to sign up and participate. And you can do so anonymously.

Members are even allowed to create their own community groups if they have a specific subtopic theyd like to address. It’s worth noting that the forums are not moderated by anyone at Daily Strength. Instead, the site depends on members to report any instances of abuse. There are administrators who have the ability to ban members who are behaving inappropriately. There are some clear rules posted on their sitesuch as no asking for money and members must respect one anothers differing religious views. The site also offers a variety of resources for anyone who finds themselves in crisis.

What Is The Purpose Of A Support Group For Depression

Researchers have found many benefits to joining a support group when you live with depression, including:

  • knowing youre not alone can make you feel less socially isolated when youre experiencing a depressive episode
  • feeling safe when talking to strangers who get it, versus family or friends who may not be able to relate and may make you feel judged
  • feeling heard and supported
  • helping others who are in a similar situation

Online And Telephone Support Groups

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many local support groups have moved online. For information about these locally based online support groups, see .

The organizations below offer online support in the form of chat rooms, forums, online meetings and phone in support groups and meetings. Although these resources can provide valuable support, please do not consider information on these sites to be completely factual.

Although the information is accurate to the best of our knowledge, we are not specifically endorsing these services. Email us at or call 267-251-6240 to send us feedback.

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Where Can I Find A Support Group To Attend Locally

Your local Mental Health America affiliate is an excellent resource to assist you in finding support groups in your area.

The National Mental Health Consumers’ Self-Help Group Clearinghouse also maintains a Directory of Consumer-Driven Services which includes peer-run organizations throughout the United States that offer a variety of supportive services and activities, including peer-run support groups.

Anxiety And Depression Association Of America

Depression Support Group in Philadelphia

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing and treating a variety of mental health conditions, including depression.

Through science-backed programs and outreach, the organization aims to eradicate the stigma surrounding depression and anxiety. With more than 30 years under its belt, the ADAA helps people around the world and attracts more than 11 million web visitors per year.

The association provides free in-person and virtual support groups in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Theres also a thriving online anxiety and depression support group with more than 59,000 members. The forum, hosted on the social network HealthUnlocked, provides a safe space for people to chat anonymously about their experiences.

Recommended Reading: What Should You Do If Your Depressed

Born This Way Foundation

Born This Way Foundation is committed to supporting the wellness of young people, and empowering them to create a kinder and braver world. They achieve this by shining a light on real people, quality research, and authentic partnerships. They also have an active blog, extensive resource list, and hotlines to call in the event of a crisis.

What Are Anxiety Support Groups

Anxiety support groups are a way for individuals to come together and discuss their shared experiences with anxiety. Some groups are for specific types of anxiety, like social anxiety or PTSD. Others are open to people with any type of anxiety.

Members may meet in-person according to a specific schedule, like one time per week. Or, they may meet online in a forum where they can leave messages any time, day or night.

They might provide emotional support to one another, help each other problem-solve specific issues, or talk about treatment. They may also share resources with one another.

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In A World Where Connection Is At Our Fingertips Feelings Of Being Misunderstood And Loneliness Can Be Overwhelming

Being a teenager is challenging. Its a time when hormones change, personal identity starts to form, and a desire to be independent takes up a lot of space and energy. When symptoms of depression or bipolar enter the scene, it adds a layer of complexity that can be difficult to navigate. The more you know about mood disorder symptoms, the more prepared youll be to cope with them.

Inspire Support Community By Mental Health America

How does an online support group help people overcome depression?

Cost: free

As a 24/7 online chat that supports individuals, families, friends, and caregivers, Mental Health Americas Inspire support community has over 2 million registered members.

With more than 100 categories, members can find a group of people who can relate to their specific needs and difficulties.

There are general groups for depression, grief and bereavement, post-traumatic stress disorder , and suicide, to name a few. Plus, you can check out more specific groups based on particular medical conditions, such as cancer and diabetes, and less common diseases like scleroderma and myocarditis. Whats more, families, caregivers, teens, and young adults can join groups just for them.

Members can friend and message other members and participate in discussion feeds in their specific community. Each community features round-the-clock moderators to ensure comments remain kind and supportive.

What we like

  • With so many groups available, youre very likely to find a group of people who can directly relate to the health condition you or a loved one is experiencing.
  • No matter the time, you dont have to be alone. Theres always someone available for a chat.
  • Patient advocacy partners provide members with expert support related to specific conditions.

What to look out for

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Parents You Are Not Alone Either

  • NAMI DuPage offers a Parent Support Group facilitated by fellow parents from 7-8:30 PM on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month.
  • We offer support through a free 6-week education class called Basics for parents. Basics is also offered on-demand by NAMI National. More information and registration is on our webpage.

Fill Out The Form Below To Be Added To The Waitlist

Support Group Dates: Every Tuesday, Jan 18-Feb. 22, 2022.

Time: 7-8:30PM. Group will be held weekly in-person at NAMI DuPage .

If you want to know about future sessions, please fill out the contact form below and we will add your name to a contact list. Names added to the contact list will be contacted closer to the start of group.

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What Are Support Groups And Why Might You Want To Join One

Support groups are gatherings of people who share common ground in some way and can offer each other emotional support, according to the Mayo Clinic. Typically, participants have either gone through or are currently going through a similar experience, such as the loss of a loved one or living with an illness, a chronic health condition, or addiction. Or they might share a marginalized identity, such as a sexuality, gender, or race, that influences the challenges they face when moving through the world. Those are only a few examples, thoughthere are a ton of support groups out there, and more are cropping up in response to the myriad challenges that have arisen in the last two years.

The important thing to understand about support groups is that they can vary greatly in practice. Unlike group therapy, which is guided by a licensed mental health professional and offers targeted support, support groups come in many shapes and sizes. Some might be more structured, like those offered by a nonprofit organization or mental health clinic. Others might be independent and run by people like you or me who just want to gather with others over a virtual cup of coffee once a week to talk about our struggles. Some support groups take the form of online communities and dont have meetings at all.

What Is The Purpose Of A Support Group For Anxiety

Aftercare Recovery Beating Drugs &  Alcohol a Substance ...

For many people, living with anxiety is a lonely experience. Online support groups bring people together to share thoughts and feelings, learn coping strategies, and hear stories of others that can be validating to your own experience.

Online anxiety support groups often fill a gap between medical treatment for anxiety and the need for emotional support, helping members feel less alone.

Whether you have access to other mental health support or not, online anxiety support groups offer fellowship, understanding, and a safe space to share and connect with others all from the comfort of your own home.

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Best For Joining Multiple Support Groups: Supportgroupscom

SupportGroups.com

  • Cost: Free.
  • Therapy Modalities: Discussion forum, private messages.

Why We Chose It: Individuals, family and friends of people with mental illnesses can join as many support groups as they want with SupportGroups.com.

  • Support for individuals as well as family and friends

  • Join multiple groups

  • Several ways to interact with others on site

  • Very basic website

  • Feels a bit like a social media site

SupportGroups.com aims to bring people together through life challenges by providing concise, up-to-date information and a meeting place for individuals, friends, and family members who offer pathways to help.

Simply create a username and password and youll be ready to participate in the online forums. Forum posts may be text-only or you can also add a picture to your post.

Unlike some sites that only allow you to join one group, SupportGroups.com encourages you to join as many groups as you like. There are many other group topics, including things like back pain, ADHD, bullying, food allergies, self-esteem, video game addiction, and stress.

Youll have a public profile that will allow other members to see the information you choose to share, such as a bio or the reason you joined a support group. Members will also be able to see your recent activity and when you were last active.

You can also volunteer to support someone in need and you will be connected with someone who is interested in chatting.

Benefits And Drawbacks Of Online Support Groups

Online support groups offer benefits that can leave participants feeling accepted and uplifted.

Mental health organizations and support programs have also shared feedback on the impact of virtual meetings. On the NAMI website, the organization shares praise from NAMI Connection participants.

One testimony on the NAMI website states, The program has given me additional tools to not only accept my illness but to help others along the way.

Support groups members may benefit from:

  • 24/7 forums and chat rooms
  • global access to people outside your community
  • accessibility
  • anonymity and privacy

Some downsides of internet support groups are the pitfalls of technology. Issues, like an unstable Wi-Fi connection, can make virtual meetings more difficult, so its best to find a suitable location with a strong signal.

Etiquette is also important when attending an online meeting, since it can be distracting to be in a loud space with background noise or to talk over other members.

Asynchronous groups, like message boards, allow participants to access the group at any time and provide the ability to carefully craft responses to other members. While messaging allows on-demand access, text may be misinterpreted, since written responses lack vocal intonation and tone.

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Should I Still Go To Therapy

Support groups can act as a sounding board for your feelings and provide a positive environment, but they arent a replacement for therapy.

Unlike mental health counseling, support groups are facilitated by peers just like you. While these peer-led groups can be filled with insightful tips and shared tools, they shouldnt be used in lieu of a licensed mental health professional.

If youre experiencing depression, contact your doctor to discuss your symptoms and consider speaking with a mental health counselor.

Best Informational Site: Anxiety And Depression Association Of America

DEPRESSION: How to Support Your Teen or Child… Explained in Detail By A Licensed Counselor

ADAA Online Support Group

  • Cost: Free.
  • Therapy Modalities: Messages.

Why We Chose It: We love that its a peer support group and lots of information and resources for anxiety sufferers.

  • Forum open at any time to share experiences

  • Can join specific help groups

  • Information to access in-person support

  • Extensive director of therapists

  • Groups not led by trained professionals

  • Not the most intuitive website

Anxiety and Depression Association of America provides extensive information and resources on anxiety, as well as an anonymous online peer-to-peer support group. They have more than 40,000 subscribers from around the world.

The goal for their forums is to provide a safe and friendly place for individuals with anxiety and their loved ones to share information and experiences.

The groups are not held at specific times. Instead, you can enter the forum and ask questions, reply to others, or share your experiences.

When you join the group, you can connect with other people who understand what youre going through. You can access the forums via your desktop or through their app for iPhones.

The site also shares information on how to access local in-person support groups. There is a directory of anxiety support groups available in many states and countries.

And if youre looking to find a therapist to provide you with one-on-one therapy, they also have an extensive directory of therapists who treat anxiety.

Recommended Reading: How Do You Know If You Are Suffering With Depression

Online Support Groups Tips And Other Resources

Psychology TodayPsychology Today offers tips for coping with the COVID crisis, how to talk to your children, reducing stress, linking to therapists and more. to link to their website.

DBSA Online Support GroupThe Depression Bipolar Support Alliance offers online support group options on their website. Learn more at .

Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous offers online groups as part of a growing community of motivated individuals supporting one another in recovery. There are also AA speakers and more on and AASpeaker.com.

Parents Helping ParentsVirtual Chapter meetings are held the first and third Monday of each month at 7 p.m., as well as access to previous meetings.

Anxiety and Depression Association of America Online Support GroupADAA’s anonymous peer-to-peer online anxiety and depression support group is a friendly, safe and supportive place for individuals and their families to share information and experiences.

Mental Health AmericaMental Health America has its own support community through Inspire which enables individuals to connect on a variety of issues and topics related to mental health.

NAMINAMI offers links to online support groups and classes for parents and families. to be connected to their listings.

Al-AnonElectronic Al-Anon meetings are held online and over the phone. Electronic meeting formats include: Phone, Email, Chat, Blog, Bulletin Board, Instant Messaging , Web Conferencing and Social Media .

12Step.org

The Importance Of Accepting And Sharing Your Feelings

It can be hard to open up about how youre feelingespecially when youre feeling depressed, ashamed, or worthless. Its important to remember that many people struggle with feelings like these at one time or anotherit doesnt mean that youre weak, fundamentally flawed, or no good. Accepting your feelings and opening up about them with someone you trust will help you feel less alone.

Even though it may not feel like it at the moment, people do love and care about you. If you can muster the courage to talk about your depression, it canand willbe resolved. Some people think that talking about sad feelings will make them worse, but the opposite is almost always true. It is very helpful to share your worries with someone who will listen and care about what you say. They dont need to be able to fix you they just need to be good listeners.

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Online Support Group For Older Teens And Young Adults Fall 2020

Online Support and Coping Skills Group for Older Teens and Young Adults Fall of 2020

Who: Ages 17-20

What: Support group to help teens/young adults talk about their experience with COVID and how it has affected their lives. Learn coping skills to manage the stress and uncertainty that it brings.

Benefits: The online support group allows teens/young adults to connect safely online with their peers and learn valuable skills for managing anxiety and stress.

When: A six-week group starting Friday, September 18th at 5 pm for 1 hour.

Group topics:

  • Support in managing the next phase in their life, senior year, college, gap year.
  • Stress management skills such as relaxation, and mindfulness.
  • How to still connect with others during COVID
  • Exploring decisions in their life, moving forward as a young adult
  • How relationships change but still staying connected to family and friends

Cost: $325.00 for the six-week session. Early bird pricing available: $25.00 discount if paid by September 8th, 2020.

Trainers: Monica Ramunda, MA, LPC, LCMHC, RPT-S is a Licensed Professional Counselor in both Colorado and North Carolina, and a Registered Play Therapist who specializes in working with families and teens. Kayle Elliot is an intern at Rocky Mtn. Counseling Services and a UCD candidate. Please reach out to learn more about the group.

The Depression And Bipolar Support Alliance

Depression Support Groups: A Valuable Resource

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance is on a mission to inspire resilience, hope, and connection in people experiencing mental health conditions, like depression and bipolar disorder. The organization features resources and aid, including more than 600 peer-led support groups.

Not only is the vast amount of groups impressive, but theyre also effective. The organizations website states that participation in a DBSA patient-to-patient support group improved treatment compliance by almost 86 percent and reduced in-patient hospitalization.

DBSAs wide variety of support groups include specialized cohorts for military veterans, young adults, BIPOC communities, caregivers, and people with co-occuring substance abuse.

The online national support groups are hosted on Support Groups Central and are offered on multiple weekdays and times, making them very accessible.

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