Usenet Newsgroups offer Support Online

Leonard Holmes, Ph.D.                      http://mentalhealth.about.com

Usenet has been around much longer than the World Wide Web. Unix computers began talking with each other in the early 1980s. It's all text here, but that's okay. Usenet is basically a global bulletin board system. An official description can be found in this What is Usenet FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) article. A portion of the description from this article reads:

Usenet is a world-wide distributed discussion system. It consists of a set of "newsgroups" with names that are classified hierarchically by subject. "Articles" or "messages" are "posted" to these newsgroups by people on computers with the appropriate software -- these articles are then broadcast to other interconnected computer systems via a wide variety of networks. Some newsgroups are "moderated"; in these newsgroups, the articles are first sent to a moderator for approval before appearing in the newsgroup. (What is Usenet FAQ)

Each newsgroup has it's own set of rules (or "netiquette") and it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with them before you begin posting messages. A common rule is that commercial messages are strongly discouraged unless they are posted from a regular contributor and have direct relevance to the group. Be prepared to be "flamed" if you break the rules.

Usenet has been used to give and receive psychological support from the very beginning. Here you can write to hundreds or thousands of fellow depressed people or abuse survivors. Be careful, though. What you say here is very public. There are ways to contribute anonymously to these groups, but this can be tricky.

Most newsgroups periodically post a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) file. Some of them even have a web page describing the group. They are genuine self-help groups, although professionals often participate as equals. They can be a helpful adjunct to therapy, or an excellent resource for people with these concerns who are not in therapy. As with any self-help or support group it is important to use your own judgement and weigh carefully the advice that you might receive.

To participate you once needed a "newsreader." Both Netscape and Internet Explorer now include newsreaders in their packages, unless you have installed the "minimal" version. Clicking on the left hand links below will open your news reader if you have one. If you don't have one, try Free Agent, a freely distributed newsreader for Windows.

You can also browse these groups on the web at Deja News (now run by Google). The right-hand links below take you to these groups as compiled by Deja News.  You don't need a newsreader.  Try these support groups to get a feel for these resources. You will understand that you are not alone.

Be sure to read these features before you post to these groups:

Protecting your Privacy in Usenet Support Groups. Part 1
Here are some simple ways to post privately.

Protecting your Privacy in Usenet Support Groups. Part 2
Complete anonymity is more difficult.
 

Leonard Holmes, Ph.D.                      http://mentalhealth.about.com

Mental Health Resources Bookstore
Mental Health Search
Previous Features