Many mental illness patients find it difficult to talk about their disease due to prejudices about mental illness that are present in this country. One tool that may help patients to share information is online medical forums. These forums may help individuals with mental illness seek support and encouragement which can aid them in combating their disease.

Online forums are used by patients for a variety of different reasons but some of the main functions are connecting with others and receiving social support. Forums are an online platform where registered users can post their opinions, thoughts, and share personal information. Once a post is started, other users can respond to the original posting, as well as each other, which can lead to an online conversation. While this conversation is not in real time, many internet users enjoy using forums to keep up with online friends and gain more information on different topics. Forums usually revolve around a specific topic. These topics can range from a specific technology, to a favorite sports team, to medical questions. In a general search through Google, there are over 100 million medical forums and in a more specific search there are over three million forums about mental illness.

These forums offer many users social support through mutual interest and caring. Because online forums revolve around a specific topic, users immediately know they have something in common with each other. Studies have shown that these commonalities allow for deeper self-disclosure, and less hiding behind the public. Users are more willing to open up to one another because they feel a sense of camaraderie. Also, users who feel embarrassed about their disease find online support groups a more welcoming place to discuss sensitive issues. They have a degree of privacy which may help them to feel less embarrassed and allow them to open up more than they would in real life.

Social support is very important for everyday life. Studies have shown that people who receive social support lead happier and healthier lives. Yet when patients are embarrassed about their illness, they will not reach out for social support. They will not talk about their problems and are unlikely to get support for these problems. Online forums can help mental illness patients find the social support they may be lacking. Online forums allow patients to lose the feelings of shame they may encounter in their daily lives. They can participate in an online environment where they are more comfortable and more easily understood by others. It is important for doctors and therapists to tell their patients about online forums as a great outlet for discussing mental illness and getting needed social support.