One of the most memorable episodes was a woman whose husband abused her on a daily basis and had her son videotape everything!  Her husband managed to brainwash her young sons into hating her as well, so during the tapes you could hear the young boys taking part in the verbal abuse.  She eventually ended up going to the authorities and her abuser landed in jail.  She went to counseling along with her sons.

One would think the experience was humiliating enough, why go on TV and relive the whole experience?  This is because talking about problems and painful memories purges tem from the mind.  Often times, guests on TV shows like Oprah request to come on.   Telling the world their problems not only helps them feel better; they also get the added satisfaction of knowing they’ve helped others who may be going through the same thing.  This is the concept behind Depression Support groups.

This is why regular meetings with others are the cornerstone of Depression Support Groups.  Hearing others express the same painful emotions that you have alleviates the feeling that you are alone or abnormal.  Many people meet lifelong friends in Depression Support Groups because they share a common bond.  The sooner you get poisonous emotions out of your system the quicker you can heal and resume a normal life.

Julia, a woman in her thirties was afraid to attend Depression Support groups because of a high profile job.  “I work in the political arena, so my personal life could become fair game at some point.  I needed total anonymity.”  For people like Julia, who can’t attend meeting for personal reason, online Depression Support Groups are now an alternative.  Thanks to the internet thousands of communities are available for people not only suffering from depression, but medical conditions and other life challenges.

In this medium individuals interact through chat rooms and message boards.  This option is also great for people who can’t get to Depression Support Groups because of their job or locale.  Julia’s Depression Support Group as over 20,000 members, “if something is bothering me I’ll post a message, within minutes there are tens of replies.  It’s very comforting to get so much advice from people going through the same thing.”  Julia also reciprocates when she can and tries to help others.  She believes that Online Depression Support Groups are as effective has traditional Depression Support Groups.

One must use judgment when deciding on an Online Depression Support Groups, warns one Mental Health Expert.   “Some Online Depression Support Groups can be poorly run or not moderated closely enough.  If someone is suffering from bouts severe depression, they should immediate attention, something an online forum may not provide.” 

People suffering from mild depression may find Depression Support Groups particularly helpful when used in conjunction with Exercise and Hobbies or Natural Remedies for Depression and Herbs for Depression.