I’ve been kicking around the idea for a site like this for years. Since my introduction to the internet in 1994 or so, I have been fascinated by it and the way it can improve our lives. I did my doctoral dissertation on the internet – specifically, trying to tailor a marital intervention for delivery over the ‘net. That was in 2003 and I had to do a lot of the coding myself. It was a long and sometimes tedious process. Now, 8 years later, things are much easier to do.
As a licensed psychologist, I’ve got an interest in making sure that I stay current on what’s out there, both in the popular press and in the research literature. I believe that a central purpose of the internet is in helping everyone get information about anything they want. Call it “democratization of information” if you want. I love the internet for that. I’m much more informed now than I think I could ever be without the internet.
The problem with many sites about mental health these days, though, is that information tends to be one way. It’s “top down”, if you will. That is, researchers or reporters give information to end users and that’s the extent of the information sharing. There is some “bottom up” communication in the form of comments, etc., but I don’t think that’s as effective as it could be.
I am (re)launching this site to facilitate more bottom up communication. My hope for the site is to have people participate in sharing articles and techniques that relate to their own mental health. What they found to work, what they found useful or informative, what they felt was insightful or even revelatory. I don’t want to dwell on what doesn’t work or how ridiculous a particular article or point of view is unless we’re providing actual feedback about what to do to make it better.
Respect for our users, contributors and readers is the utmost priority. I want this site to help end the stigma associated with mental health problems and I want it to be a resource for everyone. Call it a “crowd sourced resource for mental health”.
September 7, 2011
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