Finding Support In The Unknown: The Benefits Of An Anonymous Chat Room

Have you ever wanted to talk with someone with the purpose of saying something personal and significant, but when you get the courage to speak with them about it, you can't seem to get it out? If so, you are not alone. Many people experience this at times, and there are ways to get past it. One such way may be through an anonymous chat room. 

Below, we’ll discuss online chat rooms, their potential benefits, and ways to get support online for whatever you’re experiencing.  

Looking for professional help beyond chat rooms?

Online therapy can make a difference

What can be gained from using an anonymous chat room?

What the research says

One study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research assessed the usefulness of an online depression support group and found that it contributed to “a sense of belonging, emotional growth, self-efficacy, and empowerment.”

Anonymous chat rooms can provide help in ways that friends cannot

Online chat rooms can provide support in a number of ways that friends sometimes may not be able to. When you are with your friends, you are with people who know you, but they may not understand specific challenges that you’re going through. Also, they may have a hard time accepting new ideas that you are exploring or ways that you are interested in growing. 

Even if you have friends who care about you, they may not be sure how to respond when you are working on making changes that can allow you to improve yourself. In fact, some people may even feel threatened by the fact that their friends are doing something to grow and improve themselves. It may make them worried that they are going to be left behind.

You can have a fresh start in an anonymous chat room

In these cases, you may benefit from online chat rooms where no one knows you. One of the advantages of being anonymous is that you can have a fresh start, given that no one knows you. The people in the chat room typically read what you have to say and respond with advice and encouragement. Also, with anonymous chat rooms, you can use mostly free apps to talk to new people around the world in anonymity.

The benefits of an outside party

Other than the benefits above, it may be helpful to get opinions from people who are outside of your normal circle. A detached observer who doesn't know you and is at a distance may be more likely to give you honest feedback. Our friends sometimes have a tendency to tell us what they think we want to hear instead of always telling us the truth. This can present problems, as sometimes we may benefit from people in our lives who are willing to tell us the hard truths even if we don't want to hear them. There are times in life when this may be necessary in order to move forward and grow.

What to be cautious of in online chat rooms

Although online chat rooms can be useful for connecting with others, there are some precautions you might want to consider before joining a chat room. 

Watch out for scams

Registration for an account should normally be free and simple. Scams might require a registration that asks for something like a SS number or bank account number. 

For this reason, you might close the tab if a link to a chat room asks for more than a username, password, email address, and something like your interests to post a comment or start chatting. In addition to asking for restricted information, scams may record your details and chat logs, so you might search for the terms of service and related policies of any chat room websites before joining.

Pay attention to whom you are getting advice from

It may help to remember that free chat rooms are typically used by regular people—not licensed counselors. While someone doesn’t have to be a counselor to be supportive, it may be best to remember that any advice provided is an opinion. For situations that involve your mental health, you can speak to a licensed therapist, whether in person or online. 

Where can I find online chat rooms to join?

There are a number of apps and websites to begin chatting with new people from around the world, make new friends with different users, and start an interesting conversation. The best place is up to you, and you can start with a simple browser search. There are many different forums, websites, and apps that are tailored to people with different interests. 

7 Cups

One such website is 7 Cups, which features several chat options, including Anonymous Chat, Depression Chat, and Talk to Strangers. The website’s Anonymous Chats has a volunteer listener for each individual, and each chat is exclusively for you. 

Depression chat

Depression Chat is specifically designed for individuals experiencing depression. While this may be helpful, if you feel you need support for depression beyond a chat room, you can speak with a licensed counselor, whether in person or online. 

Talk to strangers

Meanwhile, the website’s Talk to Strangers option is more of a way to connect with others online. This may be helpful because research shows that social interaction can have a significant impact on our physical and mental health.

If you decide to use this feature, consider moving forward with caution when speaking to strangers online. It’s recommended that you avoid giving away personal details, including details about your community or neighborhood.

Beyond chat rooms: Talking to an online counselor

If you’re experiencing mental health challenges, it may be beneficial to speak with a licensed therapist. If you don’t feel up to talking to a therapist in the office, you might consider online therapy, which research has demonstrated to be effective for a variety of mental health challenges, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

If you are experiencing trauma, support is available. Please see our Get Help Now page for more resources.

With BetterHelp, you can also connect with a therapist via live chat, as well as via phone or videoconference if you prefer. You can also use in-app messaging, where you can contact your therapist at any time, and they’ll respond as soon as they can.

Looking for professional help beyond chat rooms?

Online therapy can make a difference