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From:
[email protected]
Newsgroups: alt.support,alt.psychology.help,sci.psychology,soc.misc,alt.answers,soc.answers,sci.answers,news.answers
Subject: Emotional Support on the Internet
Followup-To: poster
Date: 14 Aug 2001 18:39:02 GMT
Organization: Net Services
http://www.netservs.com/
Lines: 604
Approved:
[email protected]
Message-ID: <
[email protected]>
NNTP-Posting-Host: technetium.cix.co.uk
Summary: Where to find personal help on the Internet and related systems
Xref: senator-bedfellow.mit.edu alt.support:17014 alt.psychology.help:21154 soc.misc:16783 alt.answers:57138 soc.answers:15719 sci.answers:13358 news.answers:213176
Archive-name: support/emotional/resources-list
Posting-Frequency: bi-monthly
Version: 1.34
Emotional Support on the Internet V1.34
02 March 2001
(C) Steve Harris 2001 mailto:
[email protected]
New: HelpLine Users Discussion Forum. see
http://www.netservs.com/helplineusers/
New: Search Engine for this list and more at
http://www.netservs.com/care/
What this list is
-----------------
This is a list of resources for *emotional* support on the Internet and
interconnected systems. It is intended to help you find and use these
groups. Please do *not* mass mail this list for *any* reason at all.
Groups and resources with a focus on information giving, campaigning
academic study or advocacy are not listed. Some groups are not listed
because I know that they *can* be too rough on people seeking support. On
the other hand, I have not been able to give all these groups a full "road
test".
PLEASE LET ME KNOW of errors, changes etc.
mailto:
[email protected]
Anonymity and Privacy
---------------------
The growth of web-based email services such as Hotmail means that
anonymity is even easier than it used to be. Consider getting a free
alternative email address from www.hotmail.com or www.yahoo.com just for
use when using support groups.
Keeping sensitive information confidential? Encrypt your e-mail with
"Pretty Good Privacy" (tm). "PGP" is a powerful engine and we supply the
rest of the car! See
http://www.netservs.com/pgp/
How to use this list
--------------------
Find the subject in the first column. Look under several headings.
Generally, you should mail the address in the second column 2 and (where
listed) "say" the command shown in the body of your message.
A few of these e-mail addresses are prefixed "mailto:". With these, you
are talking direct to a person rather than joining a group.
Where an address is prefixed "news:", you should use your system's normal
command for joining Usenet groups. Many of these groups are in the "alt"
hierarchy and you may find that your system doesn't carry the group you
want. Try asking your system administrator to add the missing group.
Note: some browsers will suppress the "mailto:" and "news:" tags
Where an address is prefixed "AOL", "CIS", "CIX", "Genie", "Prodigy" or
"Delphi", the group is restricted to users of the named system and you
should use that system's normal command for joining a "conference", "forum"
etc.
Note that references to "CIX" refer to the UK based system of that name.
Even if you are not in the UK, CIX membership is possible by Telneting to
cix.compulink.co.uk. They charge 29.38 pounds sign up and a monthly minimum
of 7.34 pounds for which you get at least 100 minutes. On line registration
by credit card. Is something similar for the other systems I mention?
Please tell me!
These groups are not suitable for those who wish to argue that the
particular condition does not exist. If you believe that what you have to
say may upset some readers, use a "spoiler". For example, you might prefix
your message:
"SPOILER: Explicit account of rape"
and put lots of blank lines between that and the main text.
These are primarily *support* groups. They *may* be good sources of
information too. Let this slant influence the way you post to a group. If
someone posts "Hey, I've just been diagnosed with X disease, anyone know a
good doctor?", ask how badly it's affecting them and how they feel about
it. Information exchange can be valuable but often the hardest thing to
find is personal emotional support.
Checking the "Rules"
--------------------
Be careful to read any "Welcome" message sent to you when you join a
mailing list or any other source of information about local "rules". Often,
what's on the list is considered confidential and expected to stay on the
list. Some posters to Usenet groups maintain that they are confidential
too. Given the public nature of Usenet it's more gray. Always remember
these are *support* groups and not hunting grounds for those who want to
"save" people. Let them be a "safe" place, safe to post a suicide note
even.
THE LIST
--------
Subject Address
----------------------- -------
Abuse (general) news:alt.abuse.recovery
Abuse (general) MUD: SANCTUARY Information at
http://www.sanctuaryinc.org/
Abuse CIS: HSX200 Section 2
Abuse offenders news:alt.abuse.offender.recovery
Abuse, Sexual
[email protected]
Abuse, Sexual news:alt.sexual.abuse.recovery.moderated
Abuse partners news:alt.support.abuse-partners
Abuse Partners
[email protected]
say subscribe abpart-l Your Name
Abuse, alternative news:alt.abuse.transcendence
Abuse, alternative IRC: #aat
Addiction CIS: go CIS:GOODHE
Adoptees
[email protected]
say SUB Your e-address ADOPTEES
Adoption news:alt.adoption
Adoption
[email protected]
say SUBSCRIBE ADOPTION Your Name
Adoption IRC: #adopt 8pm Central Time
Adoption CIX: adoption
Age Gap Relationships CIX: age_gaps ( mail 'bio' first)
AIDS/HIV
[email protected]
say subscribe HIV-AIDS-SPIRITUAL Your Name
AIDS partners news:alt.support.aids.partners
Adoption AOL: Keyword 'adoption'
Adoption Prodigy: Adoption Issues and Parenting
Adoption CIS: Issues Forum, Adoption section
Adoption Delphi: under Heritage
Adoption Fidonet: ADOPTION echo
Adoption (Triad Group) Prodigy: Social Issues DB
Adoption (BirthParents)
[email protected]
say SUB BRTHPRNT Your Name
AIDS/HIV CIS: go CIS:HSX100
AIDS/HIV survivors
[email protected]
say Last Name/First Name Your e-address
Alcoholism CIX: alkies (mail 'karl' first)
Alcoholics Anonymous news:alt.recovery.aa
Alcoholics, Family of
[email protected]
say SUBSCRIBE Al-Anon Your Name
Allergies news:alt.med.allergy
Alopecia CIX: Alopecia
alopecia news:alt.baldspot
Alopecia areata
[email protected] say subscribe alopecia
Alzheimer's disease
[email protected] say subscribe ALZHEIMER
Alzheimer's disease news:alt.support.alzheimers
Alzeimer's Carers (Listen) Telnet: freenet-in-c.cwru.edu go alz
(Talk)
[email protected] (send Name/Addr)
Amputees
[email protected]
say subscribe AMPUTEE
Amputees news:alt.support.amputee
Anorexia, bulimia news:alt.support.eating-disord
Anxiety and panic news:alt.support.anxiety-panic
Arthritis news:alt.support.arthritis
Asthma news:alt.support.asthma
Attention Deficit news:alt.support.attn-deficit
Attention Deficit CIX: attention_defi
Attention Deficit Delphi: GO CUS 340
Attention Deficit IRC: #adhd Tuesday 10pm ESTT or Thursday 8pm EST
Attention Deficit CIS: GO ADD
Attention Deficit Kids
[email protected]
Attention Deficit Adult
[email protected]
say subscribe addult Your Name
Autism
[email protected] say subscribe AUTISM
Autism IRC: #autism on irc.starlink-irc.org port 6667
(10am and 10pm EST is best)
Autism news:alt.support.autism
Bereavement CIX: bereavement (mail 'jwd' for admission)
Bipolar (manic-depress) majordomo@ncar ucar.edu
say subscribe pendulum YourEmailAddress
BiPolar (manic-depress) news:alt.support.depression.manic
BiPolar (manic-depress) Delphi: GO CUS 340
BiPolar (SO's, etc. of)
[email protected]
say subscribe bpso
Bisexual, Spouses of
[email protected]
say subscribe spouse-support
(or) say subscribe spouse-support-digest
Blind CIS: go CIS:DISABI
Blind (Families of)
[email protected]
say subscribe BLINDFAM Your Name
Bone Marrow Transplants
[email protected]
Brain Injury
[email protected]
say subscribe tbi-sprt Your Name
Brain Injury Survivors
[email protected]
say subscribe tbi-surv Your Name
Brain Tumours
[email protected]
Brain Tumours Anothernet: #BrainTmr
Breast Cancer
[email protected]
say subscribe BREAST-CANCER Your Name
Breast Feeding news:alt.support.breastfeeding
Broken Relationships CIX: splitting_up (mail bryan or peewee first)
Borderline Personality news:alt.support.personality
Borderline Personality
[email protected]
say SUBSCRIBE BORDERPD Your Name
Bullying at Work CIX: bullying-work
Cancer
[email protected]
say subscribe CANCER-L Your Name
Cancer news:alt.support.cancer
Cancer CIS: go CIS:CANCER
Candida Allergies
[email protected]
say subscribe YEAST-L Your Name
Cerebral Palsy
[email protected]
say subscribe C-PALSY Your Name
Cerebral Palsy news:alt.support.cerebral-palsy
Cerebral Palsy Parents
[email protected]
say SUBSCRIBE CPPARENT
Compulsive Eating news:alt.support.compulsive-eat
Children Special Needs Blank mail to
[email protected]
Children - see Parent resources also.
Child Support Agency UK CIX: child.support or csa
Child Support Agency UK news:uk.gov.agency.csa
Chronic fatigue
[email protected]
say subscribe CFS-L Your Name
Chronic fatigue news:alt.med.cfs
Chronic fatigue CIX: cfs
Chronic fatigue news:alt.support.cfs-cfids
Chronic Fatigue CIS: go CIS:GOODHE
Chronic Fatigue PRODIGY(US): Jump Medical Support - Chronic Fatigue
Chronic Fatigue GENIE: Page 970 Category 18
Chronic Fatigue Fidonet: CFS echo
Chronic fatigue (youth)
[email protected]
say subscribe CFS-Y Your Name
Chronic Fatigue (Dutch)
[email protected]
say SUB ME-NET Your Name
Cluttering news:alt.recovery.clutter
Cluttering
[email protected]
say subscribe decluttr Your Name
Pain/Illness (Chronic) Anothernet: #LifeChallengs
Codependency news:alt.recovery.codependency
Colitis, Crohn's news:alt.support.crohns-colitis
Cross Dressing
[email protected]
Cult members, family news:alt.support.ex-cult
Cystic fibrosis
[email protected]
say subscribe CYSTIC-L Your Name
Deaf
[email protected]
say subscribe DEAF-L Your Name
Deaf CIS: go CIS:DISABI
Deaf Children
[email protected]
say subscribe DEAFKIDS
Deaf-Blind
[email protected]
Deafness, living with
[email protected]
say subscribe beyond-hearing
Depression news:alt.support.depression
Depression
[email protected]
Chat Room
http://www.walkers.org
Depression
[email protected]
say subscribe DEPRESS
Depression CIX:depressed (Mail kazg or dwindera to join)
Depression Delphi: Open Delphi (Forums),
UK-American Connection, go Cust 351
Depression, Seasonal news:alt.support.depression.seasonal
Developmental Delays news:alt.support.dev-delays
Diabetes
[email protected]
say subscribe DIABETIC Your Name
Diabetes CIX: balance
Diabetes CIS: go CIS:DIABETES
Diabetes (insulin dep)
[email protected]
say subscribe TYPE_ONE YourEmailAddress
Diabetes, hypoglycaemia news:misc.health.diabetes
Diabetics, Parents of news:alt.support.diabetes.kids
Diabetic Kids (German)
[email protected]
say subscribe diabetic-max Your-e-addrss
Dieting news:alt.support.diet
Disability, Women (Gay)
[email protected]
say subscribe living Name e-Address
Disabled-Family support
[email protected]
say subscribe DIS-SPRT
Disabled, Parents of
[email protected]
say subscribe firstname lastname
Dissociative disorders news:alt.support.dissociation
Dissociative disorders IRC: #dissoc (often quiet)
Dissociative disorders mailto:
[email protected] (human operated list)
Divorce news:alt.support.divorce
Divorce Delphi: Go Custom 56
Divorce (Men)
[email protected]
Downs Syndrome
[email protected]
say Subscribe down-syn Your Name
Dreams news:alt.dreams
Drugs see Narcotics
Dyslexia, etc news:alt.support.learning-disab
Dyslexia news:alt.support.dyslexia
Endometriosis
[email protected]
say sub WITSENDO Your Name
Enuresis
[email protected]
say SUB ENURESIS Your Name
Epilepsy
[email protected]
say subscribe EPILEPSY-LIST Your Name
Epilepsy news:alt.support.epilepsy
Facial Disfigurement
[email protected]
say subscribe MY-FACE Your Name
Families, Dysfunctional alt.recovery.adult-children
Far from average height news:alt.sigma2.height
Fat Loss (Dieting etc.)
[email protected]
say subscribe fatloss-support
Fat - see also Obesity
Fat-acceptance news:alt.support.big-folks
Fat-acceptance news:soc.support.fat-acceptance
Fat-acceptance news:soc.support.fat-acceptance.moderated
Fibromyalgia
[email protected]
say subscribe FIBROM-L Your Name
Fibromyalgia news:alt.med.fibromyalgia
Gay (UK)
[email protected]
Gay CIS: go CIS:HSX100
Gay Fathers
[email protected]
say subscribe gaydads Your Name Your e-addr
Gay Parents
[email protected]
say subscribe queer-parents Your Name Your e-addr
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual news:soc.support.youth.gay-lesbian-bi
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual
[email protected]
say subscribe AUGLBC-L Your Name
(This group is quite local in focus)
Gay,Les,Bi parnts&frnds
[email protected] say subscribe pflag-talk
Gay, South Asian
[email protected] say subscribe khush
Gender issues CIX: genderline (mail 'mcbrown' for admission)
General psychological news:alt.psychology.help
Gluten Intolerance
[email protected] say subscribe CELIAC
Glaucoma news:alt.support.glaucoma
Grief news:alt.support.grief
Grief (Parents)
[email protected]
say subscribe grief-parents Your-E-Address
Grief (Pet Loss) news:alt.support.grief.pet-loss
Guilt
[email protected]
say sub guilt Your Name
Hemophilia news:alt.support.hemophilia
Househusbands news:alt.support.househusbands
Immune system breakdown
[email protected]
Immune system breakdown news:alt.support.cfs-cfids
Incontinence
[email protected]
Infertility news:alt.infertility
Internet Addiction
[email protected]
say Subscribe i-a-s-g [Note: Changed]
(partner support)
[email protected]
say subscribe netwidows Your Name
Irritable Bowel Syndrm
http://www.ibsgroup.org/
Job Hunters
[email protected]
Lesbian, Bi-Sex Women
[email protected]
LesBiGay Catholics
[email protected]
Leukemia
[email protected]
say subscribe hem-onc Your Name
Liver Disease
[email protected] (Manual List)
say SUBSCRIBE PBC/PSC Your Name & Address
Liver Disease See also PSC
Loneliness news:alt.support.loneliness
Loneliness news:soc.support.loneliness
Long Distance R'ships
[email protected]
Manic Depression - see "Bipolar"
Marfan's Syndrome news:alt.support.marfan
M.E. - see Chronic Fatigue
Menopause news:alt.support.menopause
Menopause
[email protected]
say subscribe menopaus Your Name NB no 'e'
Migraine and headache news:alt.support.headaches.migraine
Mobility (Limited)
[email protected]
say subscribe MOBILITY
Mormons, Gay, etc.
[email protected] say subscribe q-saints
Mothers, noncustodial news:alt.support.noncustodial.moms
Multiple Sclerosis
[email protected]
say subscribe MSLIST-L Your Name
Multiple Sclerosis news:alt.support.mult-sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis CIS: go multscler
Muscular Dystrophy news:alt.support.musc-dystrophy
Muscular Dystrophy
[email protected]
Subscribe MD-List Your Name
Myeloproliferative d'rs
[email protected]
say SUBSCRIBE MPD-NET Your Name
Myeloproliferative d'rs
[email protected]
say SUBSCRIBE MPD-SUPPORT-L Your Name
Narcotics Anonymous news:alt.recovery.na
Negative Equity CIX: neg_equity
Obesity news:alt.support.obesity
Obesity - see also "Fat"
Obsessive-Compulsive news:alt.support.ocd or alt.support.ocd.moderated
Oklahoma Bombing
[email protected]
say subscribe oklahoma Your Name
Osteogenesis Imperfecta news:alt.support.osteogenesis.imperfecta
Ostomy news:alt.support.ostomy
Other support news:alt.support
CIX: emotional_sprt
CIS go CIS:GOODHE
Delphi: GO CUS 340
Ovarian Cancer (???)
[email protected]
say subscribe ovarian-cancer Your Name
Pain
[email protected] say subscribe PAIN-L
Pain/Illness (Chronic) Anothernet: #LifeChallengs
Pain, Chronic
[email protected]
say SUBSCRIBE PAIN-L Your Name
Pain, Chronic news:alt.support.chronic.pain
Paranoia Delphi: GO CUS 340
Parent (being one) CIX: l.s.p.
Panic
[email protected]
Parkinson's Disease
[email protected]
say subscribe PARKINSN Your Name
Personality Disorders Delphi: GO CUS 340
news:alt.support.personality
Polio
[email protected]
say subscribe POLIO Your Name
Polio (post) news:alt.support.post-polio
Polio (post)
[email protected]
say sub Post-Polio-Med Your Name
Prostatitis news:alt.support.prostate.prostatitis
Prostatitis (& Cancer)
[email protected]
say SUB PROSTATE Your Name
Prozac Survivors news:alt.support.survivors.prozac
Primary Sclerosing Chol
[email protected]
Psoriasis news:alt.support.skin-diseases.psoriasis
Psoriasis news:alt.support.psoriasis
Rare Diseases
[email protected]
say subscribe RARE-DIS
Religion news:alt.recovery.religion
Repetitive Strain
[email protected]
say subscribe RSI-EAST
Roommates, Psychotic news:alt.psychotic.roommates
Schizoid personality news:alt.support.personality.schizoid
Schizophrenia
[email protected] say subscribe Schizoph
Schizophrenia Delphi: GO CUS 340
SAD - see Depression, Seasonal
Self Esteem, Low
[email protected]
say subscribe self-esteem-self-help
Self Injury
[email protected]
say subscribe in *subject* line
Sexual addictions news:alt.recovery.addiction.sexual
Sexual problems (adult) CIS: go CIS:HSXTOP
Simgle Parents Delphi: GO GROUP SINGLE
Sexual Reassingment news:alt.support.sexreassign
Sinusitis news:alt.support.sinusitis
Short people news:alt.support.short
Short people news:alt.support.dwarfism
Shyness news:alt.support.shyness
Skin Diseases news:alt.support.skin-diseases
Shin Diseases news:alt.support.disease.skin (New)
Sleep Apnoea CIX: sleep_apnoea
Sleep problems news:alt.support.sleep-disorder
Social phobias news:alt.support.social-phobia
Spina-bifida news:alt.support.spina-bifida
Spina-bifida parents of
[email protected]
say SUBSCRIBE SB-PARENTS Your Name
Step-parent news:alt.support.step-parents
Smoking, Stopping news:alt.support.stop-smoking
Strokes
[email protected]
say subscribe STROKE-L Your Name
Stuttering
[email protected]
Stuttering news:alt.support.stuttering
Stuttering
[email protected]
say subscribe STUT-HLP Your Name
Suicidal mailto:
[email protected] Email helpline - not self-help
Suicidal (anon route)
http://www.samaritans.org/sams.html/contact2.html
See also
http://www.samaritans.org.uk/
US Mirror site:
http://www.mhnet.org/samaritans/
Suicidal CIX: suicidehelp (mail 'mcbrown' for admission)
Suicidal
[email protected]
say subscribe suicide-support
Suicidal IRC: #suicide (often quiet)
Suicidal (non english) See
http://www.befrienders.org/email/emailother.html
Suicide, left behind by news:alt.support.grief.suicide
Suicide, left behind by
[email protected]
say subscribe suicide-survivors
Tall (see also Marfan) news:alt.support.tall
Tinnitus news:alt.support.tinnitus
Tobacco Addiction
[email protected]
say subscribe smoke-free Your Name
Tourette's syndrome news:alt.support.tourette
Transgendered news:alt.transgendered
Transgendered news:soc.support.transgendered
Transgendered
[email protected]
say SUBSCRIBE TRANSGEN your name
Trigeminal Neuralgia
[email protected]
Twelve Step programs
[email protected]
say subscribe
[email protected] Your e-address
Twelve Step LesbiGay
[email protected] say SUBSCRIBE PLUS-L and use a
subject of PLUS-L
Voices, visions, moods
[email protected]
say subscribe MADNESS
Vitiligo news:alt.support.skin-diseases.vitiligo
Wounded Child CIX: wchild (mail 'alib; or 'pjacobs' first)
==================================================================================
Checking out the "agenda"
-------------------------
Almost all of these resources are self-help groups. They don't try to sell
you anything. Of course, individual members may have their own agenda and
occasionally you'll see blatant commercial postings - usually from
outsiders.
When an *organisation* offers a resource, you're entitled to expect it to
have an agenda of some sort and to be able to discover what it is. The only
organisation currently listed is The Samaritans. They're a non-profit,
non-religious support service for the suicidal and despairing. Their only
agenda is emotional support. They don't sell anything.
There's a few other people around on the Net offering support services.
With some of them, I haven't yet been able to discover their agenda. With
others, at least part of their agenda is to sell you something. Now,
there's nothing wrong with someone earning a living in this area but when
your audience is potentially vulnerable, it's important that your agenda is
easily visible. Such visibility cannot be conveyed easily in a listing such
as this so that's why such resources are not here. Having said that, I'd be
interested in hearing from *anybody* on this issue.
Finally, what's *my* agenda? Firstly I believe that offering people
emotional support is a "Good Thing". The other half is that I sell
software for email helplines. See:
http://www.netservs.com/helpmail/
Quiet and Busy Groups
---------------------
Some of these are very busy with dozens of messages a day. If you find that
doesn't suit you, look to see if there's an alternative. It may be a cue
that a *regional* group is needed if only to become manageable.
At the other end, you may find that a group seems to be dead. This can be
natural, especially in a small group. It doesn't mean that the group is no
good so don't let that put you off asking for support. The group may spring
to life and help you and then subside.
Start your own group? Some thoughts
-----------------------------------
Start your own Internet Emotional Support group? Some thoughts
First of all, ask yourself why. One good answer is that you
can't find what you need in an existing group. Try using the
search engine at
http://www.netservs.com/care/ to check that
there really isn't a suitable one already..
You'll probably need to devote a fair amount of effort to starting
up and publicising your group. It takes time for things to really
get going. On the other hand, don't expect a group to be a constant
hive of activity. I know several good groups with only a few dozen
members where it's often quiet for weeks. When a member needs the
group - it springs to life.
Some very successful groups are based on automated mailing lists and
they're easy to start. Try
http://groups.yahoo.com/. They have thousands
of groups on all subjects so check again that there isn't an existing
group. If necessary, follow their instructions to set up a group. If you
find the process too technical for you, consider finding another sufferer
with more expertise.
Most group are self-help but The Samaritans suicide hotline in the list is
modelled on the traditional telephone service. There you are talking to
trained volunteers. Starting such a service is a major undertaking. See
http://www.netservs.com/helpmail/ for more information.
Update policy
-------------
This list was originally prepared February 1995 and has already seem
several revisions. I expect to update and post it twice a month.
Amendments? mailto:
[email protected]. Please use the form that
follows to help you include all the information. Thanks to all those who
helped me with updates
----cut----
New/Revised Emotional Support Resource
Name of Resource:
Type: Usenet/Mailing List/Help by E-Mail/Conference/Forum
Address:
Any restrictions on membership (EG: CIS members only)?
Is this primarily a *support* group for sufferers/friends/families?
E-Mail address of contact name:
----cut----
Where to get this list
----------------------
This issue of the list is being posted to Usenet alt.support,
alt.psychology.help, sci.psychology, soc.misc, alt.answers, soc.answers,
sci.answers and news.answers. Archived at MIT - see headers.
The most up to date version is at:
http://www.netservs.com/care/
No Web access? Any Mail to
[email protected] retrieves this list
Acknowledgements
----------------
Thanks to Ian Pitchford, John Grohol and Bob Zenhausern. Special thanks to
David Brake
HTTP://WWW.WELL.COM/USER/DERB/ for the CIS entries.
Thanks also to the guys at Oxford who put this list up on the Web without
me even having to ask :-)
Steve Harris - Net Services - Using the Internet to link *people*
http://www.netservs.com/helpmail/