The online communities offering hope – and the ones that harm

BBC News

2 days ago

"I'm not alone. I feel safe, I feel heard." For 29-year-old Leanne from Durham, online communities have been a lifeline. She lives with a number of physical disabilities, but has also suffered from a range of mental health conditions, including depression, hallucinations and disordered eating.Just over a year ago she came across a mental health support community called Side by Side, run by the charity Mind."It's really helped my recovery. I can, without judgement, express my difficulties and engage with others, applauding their wins and supporting them too," she says.Being able to be anonymous on the forum is hugely helpful, she says, and enables her to be able to share freely how she is feeling.Leanne found the fact that the community is online particularly helpful as her disabilities made attending support groups in person a challenge, as they weren't always local or accessible.
'A sense of belonging'
More people are turning to online communities to find support for their mental health, even without physical disabilities.Alexa Knight, England Director for the charity Mental Health Foundation says online communities can really support mental wellbeing."There's lots of evidence to back that up… they can us a sense of belonging by reducing isolation, making us feel safe, providing support for each other and giving us a sense of purpose."An online community can be an "absolute lifeline" she says. "The friendships and connections developed in online communities can feel as strong and be as supportive as those made in more traditional ways."Sarah Miles, Head of Content Information at Mind says that even for people who aren't actively posting, simply reading about other people's experiences can feel "empowering and validating". It can also help challenge myths around mental health and break down stigma, motivating people to seek support in real life too.Terry Hanley, Professor of Counselling Psychology at The University of Manchester, says it's hard for some young people to find places they can express themselves freely."The fact that online communities are available 24/7 can be a huge benefit, as people can potentially access support for mental health difficulties at 2am when friends, family or other potential support networks aren't as readily available."
'Dangerous ideologies'
But whilst there are many benefits to engaging with a supportive online community, there are also communities which can actively damage your mental health.Oliver Chantler, Head of Policy at the Mental Health Foundation says some online communities can actually be dangerous."So that's ones where people egg each other on to suicide and eating disorders, self-harm and also things like racial hate forums and incel communities."And you can imagine the damage that they do, both to their users and to society more broadly."Recent research from the Mental Health Foundation found that 68% of people aged 16 – 21 had experienced online content they found harmful or disturbing, and that 35% had seen suicide or self-harm content online.Chantler says that even communities about the most everyday things can turn toxic."So an example of that might be video game communities. They can be absolutely lovely, or they can be appalling and really quite dangerous for our mental health."Mental Health Foundation research has also established links between some online communities promoting health and wellbeing, and those promoting more dangerous ideologies."Some of the most harmful websites are incel forums," says Chantler. "Groups of men who have given up on the idea of having a romantic or sexual relationship because they believe that either they're not good enough or that society is constituted in a way which won't allow them to do that."Research has also found connections between people who set up pro-suicide forums, and those running misogynistic incel forums.So how can you make sure that the online communities you use are safe and good for your mental health – not bad?"Healthy communities are well-moderated, inclusive, and have boundaries," says Sarah Miles from Mind. "They respect people's experiences while still prioritising safety."According to Miles, while it's OK - and often helpful – for people to speak openly about their mental health experiences, it becomes unsafe when those conversations include explicit details, such as methods, calorie counts or other measurements.It's OK to step away from any space that feels overwhelming she says, and seek support elsewhere.
Red flags
So what are some of the red flags to look out for?Chantler says you should ask yourself some key questions about the communities you're engaging in."Do I feel safe? Does the community hold everyone accountable? Do I feel connected to others? Does it align with my values and who I am as a person? Does it drain me or make me feel bad about myself?"It's important too to ask yourself it the community still does what you joined it for, he says, as communities can change over time, and can become more radicalised or more toxic.Alexa Knight from the Mental Health Foundation says that whilst there are dangers, for lots of people, their experience of using online communities to support their mental health will be almost entirely positive."We are all community, we are what makes up different communities, whether they are online or in the physical world. So we can all make a difference to try and make them positive and supportive places."Leanne says her experience has been overwhelmingly positive on the forum she uses. "Given it's moderated and there are strong guidelines, it really is a safe place."There is the opportunity to be as honest and open as you like, but you can also, you can be as vague as needed to protect yourself. Everyone really cares."For more stories and tips on how to support your mental health and wellbeing, visit bbc.co.uk/mentalwellbeing. If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can find information and support on the BBC Actionline website.