Open AccessMind Support: A Systematic Review of Online Peer Support Platforms
Author(s) -
Noah Stapper,
Gema Benavides Jimenez,
Yasmin Barenco Abbas,
Maya Homsy King
Publication year - 2021
Language(s) - English
DOI - 10.31739/anamh.2021.1.21
Subject(s) - peer support , mental health , support group , internet privacy , mental illness , set (abstract data type) , stigma (botany) , bridging (networking) , psychology , health care , computer science , psychiatry , computer security , political science , law , programming language
Provision of mental healthcare is currently limited and not accessible to all those who require it. The nature of this gap in mental health support calls for a solution that is more accessible, affordable and personalized to prevent the exacerbation of mild mental health issues and to offer support as an adjunct to state of the art therapeutics. To this effect, the non-profit mental health foundation “Mind Support” has been set up, an online peer support platform. This paper analyses the approach and solutions offered by this platform for the growing gap in mental health support and demonstrates the benefits and limitations of online peer support in general. Online peer support as provided by “Mind Support” has the advantage of being anonymous and is free of charge making it accessible to everybody. At the same time, “Mind Support” reaps the benefits of traditional peer support options, such as having a more trauma-informed approach rather than an illness-focused one, aiding in the reduction of stigma and welcoming dialogue. The aim of this article is to stimulate the use of online tools to bridge the mental health support gap.