Do you know of any good social networking sites or chatrooms for depressed teenagers?

Understand you wanting to help, but you don’t know who is on the other keyboard. And you know how crazy it gets here with emotions and feelings and BASHING. All things your friend’s child doesn’t need.
The internet will also cause them to withdraw more from face to face interaction.

I’m not a Dr or therapist.

I’m afraid I tend to agree… my first thought was, “What a horrible idea”. Maybe encourage them to join some kind of group with a common interest?

Actually, the reason I am asking is because an older kid whom I know was very troubled as a teenager found a great deal of support and friendship on online sites. That’s why I am asking for recommendations.

If he can’t find a suitible site then have him get involved in creating one.

Hi There,

Join Facebook. Its a good social networking site. You can make friends, post your updates, play games. There are alot of activities which can be done in Facebook.

I don’t know a specific site, but I think the parent should only recommend it if they monitor their child well regarding online usage, and insist it is done under a username, not their real name on sites like that. I also think the child should be in therapy concurrently.

I think it is extremely common for children to be depressed because they are lonely, and the web can help reduce the feeling of loneliness. I also think children suffer from self esteem issues, low self worth, and sites like fluther can help with that. I don’t think the child needs to necessarily be in a group, whether online or not, about feeling depressed, any group where they feel connected will help. Could be an interest they have, or people interested in their opinions, or helping others.

As a person that has struggled a lot with depressions earlier I find the very concept of a chatrom or other social media dedicated to depressed youth very scary…
Often such places act as “eco-chambers” and thus reinforce the feeling that got you to join such a place in the first place.
I think there is a very real chance that such a site potensially could increase the risk of suicide or other bad stuff , unless it vas created with proffesional councilers on wach 24/7. I get the idea of relating to others in the same situation, but I fear that it could also act as a confirmation that “the world sucks” for to many young people.

I know several of our teenage members received a lot of support from Fluther, but it’s hit or miss. Depending on the specific teen’s communication style and the nature of their issues, jellies can be extremely helpful or quite dismissive. If you think this teen would be a good fit here, I’m all for it.

@Staalesen I agree. Suicide websites, anorexia websites, cutting websites, it can be a risky thing for teens to have a bunch of people commiserating with them. Tough line between feeling supported emptionally and feeling supported in a way that is destructive.