Tutorial 6: The Internet and Online Communities

For this tutorial I will outline three different online communities that offer support and networking for people with Depression. In Occupational Therapy Practice, therapists may recommend websites or online support groups that individuals can look at in their free time and where they can write about their experiences, emotions and challenges that they face with their condition.

An article written in The Guardian UK discusses the use of social networking sites for individuals with common experiences of their condition. These groups can create a strong sense of connectedness as individuals can rely on others for support and support others by simply commenting or posting onto forums (Band, 2011).

There are three online communites for Depression that I have found, they are: The Low Down, Reach-Out and Youth Beyond Blue.

The Low Down
The Low Down is a site that is designed for youth with depression to understand what they are experiencing and to find ways to cope with their condition. Information about depression is provided as well as a 'chat' service and a knowledge forum. The Low Down uses a unique method of learning through 'Navigators' where the user can choose one of five options of navigators: Sonia Grey - TV Presenter, Dave Gibson - Singer, Jane Yee - TV Presenter and Awa - Singer. These navigators can be selected or another non-audio option can be chosen to. By clicking on the navigator the user is introduced to the site and is given insight onto their navigators experience of depression. Users can contribute primarily through the use of the 'chat' toolbar. Self-help tests and the use of music are other features of the site that contribute to user interaction.

ReachOut
This is an Australian online community with the purpose of connecting and supporting individuals with 'depression' or 'depressed moods'. The user interaction of the site is enabled through the task bar at the top of the page which highlights areas for facts, forum, ReachOut blog, videos, SMS Usage of the site and how to get involved. The site also offers downloads of fact sheets for viewers to download and print if they wish. The site can also be accessed through Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. This increases the accessibility and usability of the site as these are common networking sites that are used by a large amount of people. Individuals can contribute anonymously on this site by commenting on the blog or posts made by the administrator as well as creating their own forums and communicating with administrators and other users of the service. Topics that can be discussed on the forums are mental health, alcohol and drug use, family and relationships, independance, grief and much more. People may contribute their own problems for others to give advice on or they may offer advice to others who may be experiencing emotions or situations similar to that of the individual themselves. The site is also used to provide information on depression and life stressors in an informal way where the users can select and comment on areas that are of interest to them.

Youth Beyond Blue
This is another site that focusses on the effect that depression and anxiety have on young people. The site is interactive as it presents information in a variety of ways on the main home page. There is a diverse amount of information that is presented in the form of Vlogs, videos and stories as well as an 'On The Radar' section which is constantly changing to different headlines. As Youth Beyond Blue is specifically for youth, there is an area designated for parents or carers to refer to. The site provides factual information about depression and anxiety as well as giving the users to opportunity to 'Get Help' and 'Help Someone Else'. Similar to previous sites, users can contribute to the site by sharing their story in a video, a streaming Vlog or in a written paragraph about themselves by clicking on the 'Share Your Story' icon. People can contribute their own experiences, advice for others problems or challenges as well as parents or carers being able to ask questions on behalf of their child.

It is my belief that individuals are more willing to contribute to these online communities because it is anonymous and questions may be easier to ask online that face to face with a family member or health professional. The appeal of these sites is also increased due to the information that is shared can be commented on and discussed by others who are perhaps going through a similar experience to the user. In this respect, the advice and comments of others who have had mental illness are of greater importance and significance that that of a health professional or family member who cannot relate to the way this individual is feeling.

Individuals that use these online resources are seeking information and connection to others. Of course, this completley depends on the individuals experience of their mental illness and what areas they feel that these online communities can offer them. These sites also offer a place for these people to express their feelings in an environment where they will not be judged by others. Individuals may also be seeking connection to others and networking opportunities by talking with other depression sufferers on these sites.

Information on these sites can be shared one-way if information is presented in a way so that the user cannot interact with it fully and voice their thoughts and opinions on the discussed topics. This is more common in the information components of the sites where information is arranged in a way that is informative and useful but does not have any reciprocal properties. In discussion and chat forums information is reciprocal as the user can contribute their opinions or experiences and will recieve some feedback or comment from administrators or other users.

These chosen sites relate to a number of occupational concepts such as occupational adaptation and occupational justice. According to Christiansen & Townsend (2010), occupational adaptation is the changes that occur in the method or tools that enable occupation in order for an individual to maintain participation within groups and communities. These sites relate to this concept as the mechanism for communication has changed through the use of these websites and the forums but these individuals are still engaging in a form of social interaction and recieving social and emotional supports through these. Occupational justice refers to the resources that are available for one to satisfy personal needs and citizenship through occupation (Christiansen & Townsend, 2010). Through the use of the sites, individuals are meeting their need for personal interaction and communication. They are valued consumers of the service and their needs can be expresses through the discussion and chat forums where they are offered support and advice from others.

References:

Band, E. (2011). Social networking can lighten the darkness of depression. Retrieved on 27/04/12 from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/02/social-networking-depression-black-dog-tribe

Christiansen, C. H., & Townsend, E. A. (2010). Introduction to occupation: The art and science of living (2nd ed.). USA: Pearson Education

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