Finding Mental Health Support and Community Through Reddit

Reddit has become a go-to place for people looking for mental health support and community. With millions of active daily users, community members are finding answers to their questions quickly.

This quick-fix approach can be helpful with questions that don’t hold much weight, but what about when we are talking about mental health?

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When seeking out support, people can easily start threads to discuss topics as simple as How are you doing?

However, users can also create subthreads that correlate with mental illnesses including; bipolar disorder, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, substance use, and other disorders that are being explored on the online platform.

You may find answers, and they are likely given by community members who don’t necessarily have the credentials to back it up.

Rather than dismiss online platforms like Reddit altogether, how can you use them for your benefit and what precautions can you take?

Cautions to Take When Seeking/Getting Information from Reddit

Check the credibility of the source.

Like any information you get online, look at the source. Question where it comes from and who is saying it. If a professional with credentials is giving answers, you likely have a more accurate answer than a random stranger. Investigate your findings before settling on one answer.

Verify information from multiple sources.

If you get a random answer that you haven’t heard before, start another search until you are able to find that information again in a different way. You can convince yourself of nearly anything if you try. Stick with credible sources.

Weigh a different perspective.

If you are finding the same information from people who all believe the same thing, it may not be valid. To be a careful consumer of information, you may need to check a different opinion than your own so that you can strengthen or change your belief.

When you are looking for quick answers from the internet, you may not want to spend time investigating an online platform like Reddit, and it can be beneficial to you so that you can mitigate problems long term.

Building a Support Network on Reddit 

Now that you know what cautions to take, you can use Reddit wisely to help build a support network to help improve your mental health.

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The truth is that the internet can actually have positive results when it is used with discretion.

Reddit is full of resources, discussions, and community groups that you can join.

Here are ways to build a support network within the online platform Reddit:

Join a community.

There are different communities available to you on Reddit that you can join.

Communities have moderators that will comb through comments and posts so that they can remain appropriate and respectful. Even though they aren’t perfect, they can be helpful in knowing you are not alone and other’s may have some helpful insights that work for them.

Create a community.

Users on Reddit are able to start communities or subreddits online for people who have common interests or hobbies. Be mindful of what your intentions are in starting a community and the role you want to play or not play.

Communities  can get tricky if everyone in the group has the same mental health issues and they are seeking therapeutic support because Reddit is not a replacement for therapy.

Though professionals may offer opinions in this context, it is not the same as therapy.

Find social media groups.

Within Reddit, there is the possibility of finding other social media groups. This can expand your network and help you to grow your community. Online communities are nearly everywhere when you look, and it is possible to find other people with common interests.

Benefits of Online Reddit Communities for Mental Health

Online communities and social media outlets like Reddit can increase a person’s sense of belonging, build connection, and even increase self-esteem (when used in a healthy manner).

For those who suffer with mental illness like anxiety, depression, trauma, effects of emotional abuse in relationships, ADHD and other neurodivergent experiences, a platform like Reddit can be the first time you feel connected to others.

It can give words to your experience and also shed light on how you differ from others even with a same labeled experience.

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It can be a way for you to navigate what you’re experiencing, receive validation for your experience, provide support for others, and receive support in a peer environment.

Many people learn more about the unhealth of their relationships, the impacts of generational trauma, and other often unrealized experiences by hearing from other’s who share their stories.

Platforms, like Reddit can also provide a wealth of resources that you may find helpful. When people find something that’s been helpful for them in navigating their mental health, they often share it with their Reddit community.

When they have a negative experience with a resource, they also share this.

Both should be taken with caution and worth looking further into yourself if you are interested in the resources offered.

Reddit is one place to start when looking for resources, help, and answers to your questions and it is not the place to end.

Reddit is Not a Replacement for Therapy 

Online platforms and support groups can be incredibly helpful to support your mental health.

Though it is not a one-size-fits-all approach, you can find specific details that may be beneficial to you, especially if your mental health concern feels unique.

That being said, Reddit is not a replacement for therapy. As fast acting as the fix may feel, therapy is a professional approach to your mental health.

At Denver Metro Counseling, we have professional trauma-informed therapists who can help support you with your mental health including by not limited to concerns about ADHD, body image, chronic pain, trauma, anxiety, depression, and life changes.

Our therapists provide counseling to families, individuals, teens, young adults, and adults. We have clinicians who can deliver EMDR therapy as well.

Though an online platform can give you the answer you may be looking for in the moment, our clinical team can support you through all seasons of your life.

Written by: Randi Thackeray, MA
Clinically Reviewed and Edited by Denver therapist: Julie Reichenberger, MA, LPC, ACS, NCC