Both forums and chat services are a popular feature of our site, with hundreds of messages being exchanged each day in the forums, and active chat occurring 24 hours per day. Most people who visit our website looking for information of one type or another do not visit our community. That is a shame, because our community is a very special place. It is a good thing for us to provide information and education on troubling topics. But information alone is seldom comforting.
People are the source of most comfort.
It is thus a grand thing that we are able to provide a home on the net for all varieties of people to gather together for purposes of mutual comfort and support. Exactly how an online community works is not an obvious thing to someone who has no real experience with such a thing. During my months as Director of MHN, I've learned first hand the virtues of our online community. If you'll care to read on, I'll share a couple of my observations with you. Our community is filled with people, most all of whom are there to give and extend support to one another as each person copes with the stressful aspects of their lives.