Sharing doubles the joy and cuts the sorrow in half. The online support group allows almost instant interaction, at any comfort level. There's also great strength in knowing what others have gone through and how they handled the various aspects of treatment. Everyone involved can learn from the exchange. New patients learn what they can expect, while veterans can keep up to date with the changing face of recovery.
Caregivers have an independent challenge, one which they themselves can overlook.
Much of this can be attributed to the lack of definition in the roles, along with a lack of outside support. It can be hard for a husband, wife, parent or child to admit that they can't do all that is required. It can be hard to even see beyond the current state of life to realize that there are options. As more and more families encounter these situations, resources are being developed to focus on the needs of the caregiver as well as the care receiver. Presently, most of the support groups, books and studies focus on elder care and diseases with a higher profile than pemphigus.