More people participate in online support groups on such thematic topics as alcoholism, eating disorders and depression which provide privacy from the comfort of home. Online support groups can range from serving as one therapeutic component of a comprehensive mental health treatment plan to serving as the sole support system. They attract a broad variety of members who may previously have avoided peers and their traditional support system. Nuts And Bolts Of Online Support Groups Access. Groups are interactive.
Members correspond anonymously using text-based communication in real time.
Asynchronous Groups . Members post messages and questions twenty-four hours in newsgroups to a specific member or to the general membership. This format allows members to send and retrieve messages at their convenience and regardless of their time zone. Groups are led by hosts who may be a mixture of mental health professionals and non-professionals, depending on the site. Hosts function as resource persons rather than online counselors.