emilyosu

Oh yes, the stigma...It's so hard for me to talk about it with anyone because they don't think it's a real problem. Maybe one day mental illness will be taken seriously? I hope. It seems as if researchers are finding out more and more about the biological causes of mental illness every day, so I guess that's progress.

Aw thanks You have a good point.

Not at all, Jon! I like what you have to say. It's nice to hear a positive opinion about introverted anxious people such as myself. How did you find understanding friends? I have issues finding people that get it. Being a very quiet person means that the only friends I make are the very outgoing types who just tell me I need to get over myself.

Thanks Jon. It's definitely hard to be an introvert in our society. I'm a lot more "functional" now than I once was but I still have a long way to go.

Thanks Gilly, of course it's ok!! Jon-I didn't want to disclose this but I actually suffer from social anxiety myself, and have found the internet very helpful, so I'm not just doing this all for a degree, but rather to see if internet support groups are a legitimate means of support.

Hey all, I’m a social work student at The Ohio State University. I’m currently conducting undergraduate research on the usefulness of internet support groups in managing anxiety disorders. To aid in my research, I’m seeking adult members of support groups to complete an online survey about their experiences. Participants will be entered into a raffle to win either one of four $50 Amazon gift cards. Participants will be asked to electronically sign a consent form before they complete the survey and all answers will be anonymous and kept confidential to the best of my ability. The survey will take approximately thirty to forty minutes to complete and will include questions about age and mental health status. If you’re interested in participating, the link to the survey is: https://cswosu.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3r8yJYfKQooX1el Thank you for your consideration!