First it would be wise to define what an online community actually is:
An online community is a virtual community that exists online whose members enable its existence through taking part in membership ritual. An online community can take the form of an information system where anyone can post content, such as a Bulletin board system or one where only a restricted number of people can initiate posts, such as Weblogs. Online communities have also become a supplemental form of communication between people who know each other primarily in real life (Online community, 2011).
I will be looking at the following sites:
http://www.nami.org/
"From its inception in 1979, NAMI has been dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness" (About Nami, 2011). Nami's website offers information about mental illnesses, medication, education and programmes, support and online communities that are open to members. The site is highly interactive with both access to information on a multitude of different mental health conditions and access to online communities. The online communities offer the opportunity to members (membership is free and very easy to obtain) to join over 40 discussion groups ranging from topics concerning specific conditions like eating disorders, bipolar and PTSD. There are discussion groups for the Spanish speaking communities and groups for carers of individuals that suffer from mental illness. Members can contribute by joining any discussion group and posting either a new comment or replying to an existing comment or thread. Members post their problems, provide advice or support to other members and discuss issues that are concerning them. Below is an example of the type of topics that are discussed on this site:
(Nami.org, 2011)
http://community.mentalhelp.net/
This site is very similar to nami.org, again it provides specific information about mental health disorders, provides a forum for article publication and conversation between visitors to the site. It also features blogs, videos and podcasts all of which visitors to the site can comment on. The forum offers a place to share what is going on in the community (both physical and global) and mental health issues: the site encourages people to "Talk to others about your situation. Help others with their situations. Give and receive support" (Mental Health Net, 2010, para 3). Again the site has categories for discussion ranging from ADHD to sexuality issues, and provides a place for visitors to place their comments and respond to others. Again the site is highly interactive and visitors can contribute their opinions, comments and advice. Interestingly on this site, the administrators seem to be highly visible and they readily put a 'trigger' on any comments that could cause specific offense or escalation of a condition...in other words the site is being policed and warnings are being put on content that could adversely affect people. Below is an example of the type of conversations and subject matter that are taking place on the forums:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/VibeCentral
This online community is a little different because it has been set up through facebook rather than having its own website. The organisers of the site state, "we're young adults with a creative voice that celebrates diversity and supports the contribution of all people with experience of mental illness" (Vibe, 2011). The site appears to be more of a community message board offering advice and advertising events for 'fans' to get involved in, however because it is facebook it remains highly interactive and allows comments and responses from anyone wishing to contribute. The group states that it is intended for young adults with any type or degree of mental illness. Here is an example of the type of information on their facebook page:
Ethics again are a major issue on these types of websites. Sites have to ensure that individuals who sign up as members to these sites (on the understanding that they will be protected by privacy laws) have their identities protected. On the flipside, these sites that claim they are offering support for people suffering from mental illness, need to be accountable and ensure that the content on the site and in the discussion forums is not dangerous for its members. Mental health is a highly sensitive area that needs caution. Community.MentalHelp.net seems to be visibly working to ensure that its members stay safe by placing warnings on content that could be deemed dangerous and by having their administrators contribute to discussion topics to ensure objectivity and some positivity is introduced into the conversations.
Online communities provide the opportunity for global interactions. For someone sitting in New Zealand where there is plenty of mental health information sites but few online discussion forums, they are able to read comments from or join a group in America or Britain where although the geography is different the condition is still the same. Whilst the forums I have presented are mainly English speaking, nami.org provides the opportunity for Spanish speaking communities around the world to join in and discuss their issues. Again for someone sitting in a small community in New Zealand where their mental health condition may not be understood by those around them or they may encounter stigma because of it, a global online community offers a release where they can make contact with people that WILL understand and know what they are going through.
Of course there are downsides to these types of communities. Individuals using these types of sites can very easily remove themselves from the community and disappear. In mental health this would be of particular concern if an individual was only receiving support online and had isolated themselves from their geographical community. Individuals gaining advice only from online sites are also in danger of receiving incorrect information or dangerous advice about their condition which could put them in danger of becoming more unwell or even suicidal. To me it seems that although there is absolutely a place for online communities, traditional communities need to retain their role in offering guidance, support and treatment to people with mental health conditions.
Again that's all for now.. next post is on its way!
Reference list
Nami.org (2011). About Nami. Retrieved March 22, 2011, from http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=About_NAMI
Nami.org (2011). Discussion groups. Retrieved March 22, 2011, from http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=all_discussion_groups&Template=/Forums/ForumDisplay.cfm
Online community (2011). Retrieved March 22, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_community
Mental Health Net(2010). Forum. Retrieved March 24, 2011, from http://community.mentalhelp.net/
Vibe (2011). Retrieved April 11, 2011, from http://www.facebook.com/VibeCentral#!/VibeCentral?sk=wall
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