5 websites to Talk to Someone About Problems Anonymously?
By
PsychReel
This blog post will talk about the importance of talking to someone online anonymously, venting out, and seeking help, why anonymity is preferred, and where one can speak about their problems anonymously. It includes information about a few websites/apps where such anonymity is maintained.
What Are Some Websites to Talk to Someone About Problems Anonymously?
The following websites can be used to talk to someone about their problems anonymously:
- 7 Cups
- Virtual friend shoulder
- Wysa
- BlahTherapy
- Free online therapy
- Therapeer
- Supportiv
We will discuss them in detail in the further sections.
Why talk about your problems online?
In today’s fast-paced world, achieving daily targets, reaching expectations, planning the next step, financial goals, education, and having a safe and secure future, is all that is there in everyone’s life. Even though the origin of the internet and its advances are said to have brought people together, not everyone feels connected.
We go through so much each day, some good, some bad, but at the end of the day, talking to someone about the good in life or about something which is troubling you, will help put things in perspective.
In trying to live along with the rush of each day, seldom do we find ourselves feeling lonely. Even though there might be people around you, people who care, there are times when you might not be able to talk to them. This might be because something troubling you is personal and you might have the fear of not being understood or you might simply have the fear of judgment. Because honestly, who does not fear judgment?
Sometimes all one needs is a good listener, someone you can talk to about your problems without being judged. Anonymity is a situation where the acting person’s identity is unknown, untraceable, or unreachable.
With the rise in the requirement of speaking one’s mind, several websites and apps have been developed to help people talk about their problems with complete anonymity. These websites cater to a wide range of people, those who are feeling lonely, need advice, want to know others’ opinions on something, talk about school or college, relationships, or even people who simply want to talk about nothing in specific.
Given below are some of the websites or apps for the same purpose. Please note that this blog is not promoting any of the below websites/apps.
Apps and websites where you can talk about your problems anonymously
- 7 cups – Anxiety & stress chat (rated 12+)
“7 cups” is available both as a website and an app. It is one of the most prominent and widely known online support. It provides anonymous emotional support and counselling.
To become a listener on the website, people are required to go through a series of modules and tests which, when completed, they are able to become trained active listeners. It is very accessible and easy to use as you can talk over text and active listeners are available 24/7.
There are about 450,000 trained listeners who provide support across 189 countries and in 140 languages. Each listener has their own profile with a list of categories they specialize in and also has reviews given by people who come there to talk or by their fellow listeners.
It also provides anonymous counselling support to an extent over text for people who need something more than an active listener. The app also has a “growth path” for people who wish to use the service frequently.
The growth path is used to encourage and support a person. It is compatible with Android, iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Other perks include the presence of chat rooms, community forums, 300 free mindfulness exercises, personalized care via free wellness tests, and many more. It has also been featured on the medical daily (“Talking therapy for people on-the-go”), and TechCrunch.
- Virtual Friend shoulder: Vent Anonymous and Chat (rated 18+)
This app is great for someone who needs to talk about a problem, needs some advice, or wants to talk about what’s worrying them.
It is anonymous where you can create your own avatar. It is an app where groups of people are present with the goal of helping each other. Any doubt, troubles, or anxieties you have can be posted in public chats.
The plus point? You can have multiple inputs given by different participants of the group at the same time. But, even if you are not comfortable with that, there is always a private chat room available.
Overall, this app is great for people who feel lonely because here, a large number of people are always available to make friends and talk and help in a virtual way.
- Wysa: Anxiety, therapy chatbot (rated 3+)
Wysa is a different than usual app for mental health, stress checks, and anxiety relief. This is because Wysa is an AI (Artificial Intelligence) “friend” that a person can chat with for free. It provides emotional support with mood tracking, finding optimism, reframing thoughts in easy-to-understand and friendly chats.
The app is used by around 500000 people around the clock. For extra support, the guidance of a qualified and licensed mental health professional is also available on the app.
- BlahTherapy (rated 17+)
BlahTherapy is a website founded in 2010 by a like-minded individual who likes us, had moments where he has felt that talking to someone anonymously seemed necessary.
BlahTherapy connects strangers around the world randomly who are willing to talk about the problems you may have as well as share their own experiences. It provides an option where people can chat 24/7 and can vent anonymously.
The website also has online therapists if you are interested at comparatively low costs. A questionnaire will help you connect to a therapist who is considered best for you.
Oh, and also in case you are a psychic believer, this website helps you with that option too!
- Free online therapy (rated 17+)
This website works with three options; talking to a volunteer, an online therapist, and a relationship counsellor.
The volunteer option connects you with sympathetic community members for free chat 24/7. You are ready in three simple steps; create a free account, select the “venter” option, start chatting.
The community comprises real people who are empathetic and want to help.
The chat rooms include volunteer members who will listen to your problems, provide support and guidance when deemed appropriate.
- Therapeer: Peer Emotional Support (rated 18+)
In Therapeer, community members offer support as peers which help people deal with their own challenges as well as try and make others feel better.
As a peer one can help others via private groups chats and with other options the host, one can create their own private support room, where 3 other peers assigned based on the topic and other aspects of your requirement join in and support you help you through your tough times.
A private peer support option is also available where you or the person you are chatting with can share personal experiences. This helps because having someone to talk to who went through similar experiences means a lot more understanding and relatability.
- Supportiv
Having relationship problems, feeling sad, feeling lonely, or having feelings about something that you cannot express freely. Whatever the problem is Supportiv’s anonymous chat rooms provide a space where you can vent or get others’ opinions in a quick way without the fear of judgment. The moderators are trained and help things flow freely.
All you have to do is type the things on your mind select the topic you want to talk about. This helps in connecting you to a moderator who would like to talk about the same things.
There can be more than one person in the chatroom and this can help you get multiple opinions and advice. You are also to give advice as well as gain experiences from what others are asking and sharing. Another advantage is that, apart from support and advice, the moderator can also share helpful resources right there in the chat.
The Pros and Cons of online Anonymous help
Above, we have seen a number of websites and apps available on the internet where we can anonymously talk about our problems. Let us now go through a few pros and safety measures while using these options.
Pros
- Speak your mind openly, without being judged – when anonymous a lot of the stuff we are not able to talk openly about can be blurted out. Your personal life or professional, you can say it all here!
- Feel better – when you vent out you feel a lot better than before, you feel less burdened and therefore happier
- Accessible and easy – these online options are just a few clicks away. Anytime and anywhere, you can talk to someone on the go.
- Expanding your horizon – one of the advantages in group support chats is that you are able to read and understand different views of people in different situations.
Cons and Drawbacks
- Who is actually chatting with you? – Though anonymity is the whole point, you never know who you are really talking to. Sometimes people take advantage of this anonymity to have fun or worse try to extract personal information
- Hard to connect – when you don’t really know who you are talking to, you don’t know what kind of a person you are talking to. You may not share the same kind of opinions as the other which might defeat the purpose of your presence there.
- Hard to understand – no matter what real face-to-face conversations are much better than chats especially when it can be hard to read the tone of the conversations.
- Be aware and seek help! – this is the most important part. Websites and apps online to talk about problems anonymously can be an excellent way to vent out and quick and accessible.
However, if needed you need to seek help from a mental health professional who will help you better manage your life’s challenges. Though it might not be anonymous, any conversation you have with your therapist remains between you two because you have confidentiality. Please do not use the apps and websites as a substitute for professional help.
Conclusion
We discussed various websites that can be used to talk to someone about problems anonymously like Wysa, Therapeer, Supportive, 7 cups, etc. We also explore the pros and cons of using these anonymous online resources to talk to someone about your problems anonymously.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): What Are Some Websites to Talk to Someone About Problems Anonymously?
How do you talk to someone anonymously?
There are a number of online websites or apps available where you can speak openly anonymously. Make sure you check the authenticity of the website before proceeding.
Is it safe to use online support groups?
Authentic Online support groups are bound by confidentiality agreements and hence are safe to use. Each participant also has a responsibility to maintain confidentiality
Is online chatting about problems free?
Many websites and apps provide free-of-cost services, where you can meet, chat and get support free of cost.
How do you vent out?
Venting out can be tough for someone who is not very expressive. Trying to sort out your emotions and understanding a situation that troubles you is a good start. Once you do understand, writing it down and finally choosing when to communicate and whom to communicate with is important.
Is it OK to vent?
It is completely OK to vent. In fact, research suggests that at times, bursting out or just simply talking whatever is exactly on your mind is a great way of blowing steam.
Is there a website where you can just talk to someone?
Yes, there are various websites where you can just talk to someone. The websites that provide free mental health support and listening sessions are 7 cups, Wysa, TheraPeer, etc.
References
5 Stress-busting apps to rant to strangers online or vent into the void https://www.makeuseof.com/stress-busting-apps-to-rant-to-strangers-online/
