The Pen-friend Scheme  [top]

The pen-friend service puts anyone affected by depression (and that means carers too!) in touch with one another. It also allows people who may not have a local group, or do not feel ready to attend one, the opportunity to be in touch with someone else who has been affected by depression.

Many users find this useful. Bob writes:

"I have found writing letters to pen pals a wonderful therapy. Through it you can discuss your experiences, frustrations, hope and desires. It’s a one sided conversation when you write and can be a great release of emotion. Because it is written the words are better considered than the spoken word. It’s the best medication for lifting my mood."

What DATalk members have said about using the online group:

"Although joining DA was not per­haps as easy at it could have been, once sorted the benefits were well worth it.

DATalk is brilliant and it's so good to be able to unburden troubles to the group in general as someone is certain to reply and offer help, under­standing or encouragement. The really big bene­fit is just knowing that you are actually communicating with peo­ple who do un­derstand, no matter how crazy you think you sound, no-one will call you crazy and everyone is so sup­portive.

There was one night when I could really have ended everything, but just being able to unburden what had made me feel that way to the Group made a difference and then to receive a couple of replies within an hour really helped.

As you can see, I am still here! We all have our different problems and triggers and within the group we are all respected by each other which is what makes it `safe'. It has made a huge dif­ference to me in the few months I have been using it.

There are no magic cures, but just knowing others do understand and have/do feel the same makes so much difference, as often talking to a part­ner or friend is like talking to an alien as they just don't understand. The dif­ferent responses too often help as one may be more appropriate than an­other, but just knowing that someone has taken the time to help you is so impor­tant and a major part of DATalk.

You don't even have to post any­thing, you can often benefit just from reading what others post. Usually you will find, however, that there comes a point when you feel you need to re­spond to someone and that is a big, progressive step which you will appre­ciate later. Thank you DATalk and all the members for being so helpful and supportive".
Lyn Ladds

"The best way I can think of explain­ing about DATalk is for me to tell you what it has meant to me since I joined in 2002.

I joined DA at about the same time I first went to the doctors' for help with depression. I think I'd known for a while that I was depressed, but finally I managed to do something about it. Me being me, I wanted to know as much as I could about the illness, so I got on the internet one day at work when I was alone in the office. I found DA was a great source of information, and DATalk sounded like a good way to hear what other sufferers had to say. So within a couple of weeks of my trip to the GP surgery, I was sending my first email to DATalk.

I already belong to a couple of other email groups, so I knew how they worked. What I didn't expect was the feeling of relief and the support com­ing from these complete strangers on the internet. Other than my doctor, DATalkers were the first people I told about my depression. It was a kind of warm up for me, as the first friend I told was via email too. A while later I told another friend over the phone, and then one in person. Emailing DATalk was really my first step in be­ginning to open up.

It felt amazing to read emails from other people who could understand what I was feeling. There was always someone who'd been there, done that, taken that tablet, so I didn't feel alone anymore. It was great to share my experiences, read about what other people were suffering (yes, it helped to know other people were suffering—strange that), and even be able to offer support sometimes too. I felt like I had found new friends, and began to rejoice in their improvements, hope they were ok when they went quiet, and look forward to reading what they had to say.

Over the last few years, being able to email the group has helped me through some difficult times. I raged about the injustices at work, moaned about my family, commiserated over health services. I knew I could go quiet for a bit, but still read the emails and keep in touch that way. I was always able to join in again when I needed support or wanted to reach out to someone new.

Eventually I joined a `read world' support group too, but I always shared with DATalk what I was going through. Sometimes it even helped to be able to moan about my other support group!

And now? Well, I still join in, still read the emails, still wonder how eve­ryone past and present is doing. I still rejoice in their improvements or good news, hope they are ok when they're quiet, and I always look forward to reading their replies when I've sent a message, or replying myself when someone else asks for help.

I know that DATalk has made, and continues to make, a huge difference in my health and well being. It may sound a bit naff, but I really don't think I'd be where I am today without it".
Anon.

From A Single Step Winter 2007/8 edition p.4 'DATalk'

Publications  [top]

Our wide range of publications covering various aspects of depression offer the information and guidance so desperately needed by people affected by depression when they need it most, and may feel there is nowhere else to turn.

To download Publications requires Acrobat Reader Plugin, get it here.

Single copies of all Depression Alliance publications are free to members. To order publications (including multiple copies) please go to our on-line Shop. To view our publications on-line click here.