Since the 1980s, people have been using support groups to overcome alcoholism, depression, sexual assault, and other difficult obstacles. More recently, online support groups have developed, allowing hundreds or even thousands of users to communicate together.(Frey, 2003) Some suicidal youth, rather than consulting professionals or a non-profit group such as the Samaritans, join online support groups where other self-harming, depressed, and/or suicidal people can discuss and try and overcome their illnesses. In asynchronous groups such as these, Lester (2009) found that high-risk suicidal communications were much more likely to occur. (15.3%, as opposed to 1.4% and 0.3% in personal chats and telephone hotlines respectively.) With such disclosure, online message boards create a supposedly positive environment where people who are going through similar situations can communicate with and help each other. These message boards vary wildly in their rules and members. In some, encouragement or announcement of suicide is forbidden. Others provide helpful links and information on how to
get help locally. In still others, which will be discussed later, suicide is glorified. (Becker, Schmidt, 2005)
One study of a self-harm messaged board by Rodham, Gavin, and Miles (2007) found that “the kind of support which was offered to those posting messages did not explicitly address the problem behaviors articulated by the message posters. Instead, the responses appeared to minimize the seriousness of and/or normalize the behaviors described.” While this certainly does reduce stigmatization of a condition and appear helpful, by normalizing self-harming and potentially suicidal behaviors, it validates them as a way of coping with life that is certainly not helpful to users. Still, many users consider the message boards an important source of support in their daily lives. (Rodham et al., 2007)
