Introduction to Online Mental Health Advice
Many people who are interested in mental health or have been diagnosed with a mental health condition naturally turn to online resources for advice. Whether you are a student, a patient, or simply curious, it is important to know that the advice you are getting is accurate. There are many well-meaning people who post advice on forums, but this isn't necessarily accurate. Although there is a lot of inaccurate advice out there, there are also many sources of advice that is great.
The best places to find online mental health advice include medical journals, government health websites, and well reputed sites such as IVillage. Other not so reliable resources include sites like Yahoo Answers. While there are many people out there who may know a lot about mental health as a topic, they may not have the expertise needed to give advice that is helpful or true.
History of Online Mental Health Advice
In 1993, the Internet started to become more popular, and with its popularity came a wide range of websites. At first these websites were relatively basic, but as the Internet developed through the late 90s and early 2000s, the types of websites that were available became more technical. Eventually, health advice websites and forums became popular.
Towards 2003, popular websites began to feature mental health experts who would give advice. These experts included nurses, doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists. They would often write articles about mental health conditions such as depression, and from time-to-time they would answer specific questions that had been sent in by website users.
As the late 2000s developed into the early 2010s, online mental health advice websites became more technical. It was then that users began to recognize which websites were giving them the right types of advice. Sites that allowed them to enter their symptoms so that a symptom calculator could give a basic diagnosis became popular, while forums that didn't have experts became unpopular.
Features of Online Mental Health Advice Sites
Today, online mental health advice websites have a wide variety of features. The most common type of online mental health advice websites are the ones that are run by charities. Mental health charities often offer basic guides, as well as leaflets that can be printed by those who want to find out more about certain conditions.
Another key feature of such websites is live mental health experts. These experts are able to engage in live chats and talk to people about their worries, symptoms and conditions. As well as offering advice, they are also great at giving live counselling.
Finally, mental health symptom checkers are now frequently featured on general medical sites, as well as specialist mental health ones. These checkers allow people to enter a range of symptoms so that they can give an estimated diagnosis. This allows people to visit their doctor and inform them about their worries.
Tips for Using Online Mental Health Advice Sites
When you first begin using online mental health advice services, make sure that the people who are giving you advice have good qualifications. Many people hang around on forums pretending to be experts, when really they are not fit to offer their services. Don't be afraid to ask someone to prove that they are qualified, as this ensures you are getting advice that is both safe and accurate.
If possible, check the advice that you are getting against what is going on in the news, or the guidelines that are offered on .GOV sites. This will allow you to ensure that you are only ever receiving accurate advice.
Finally, always make sure you check the advice that you are taking with a real-life professional. Whether that is a mental health nurse who works with a local charity, or a physician who practices mental health, it is always good to get a face-to-face opinion.
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