{"id":45444,"date":"2015-09-23T21:10:16","date_gmt":"2015-09-24T04:10:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.mcafee.com\/?p=45444"},"modified":"2025-08-27T02:37:19","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T09:37:19","slug":"online-forums-and-chronic-illness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/family-safety\/online-forums-and-chronic-illness\/","title":{"rendered":"Online Forums and Chronic Illness"},"content":{"rendered":"

Life can sometimes deal us a tough set of cards. Dealing with a chronic illness is no exception.<\/p>\n

The Australian Bureau of Statistics<\/a> believes that as our population ages so does the prevalence of chronic illness. Whether it is cancer, diabetes, obesity, Lyme disease or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, managing a chronic illness can often feel like a marathon. Dealing with pain, disability, time off work, loss of employment, loss of independence and social isolation can be very overwhelming for sufferers and their families.<\/p>\n

So where do sufferers and their families turn for support? Online forums. Often hampered by a lack of mobility, financial resources and often not enough self-confidence to leave the house, the online world becomes an absolute saving grace for sufferers and their carers.<\/p>\n

I have witnessed first-hand how transformational the support from online forums can be. I have several friends who have children with chronic illnesses who get such solace and support from their online communities. Consciously trying to avoid \u2018exhausting\u2019 real life friends with the day-to-day saga of the chronic illness is a genuine concern for many. Finding a network of like-minded people who are experiencing the same challenges is extraordinarily powerful and genuinely helps alleviate feelings of loneliness.<\/p>\n

Cybersecurity Practices<\/h2>\n

Of course good cyber safety practice still applies in support forums and chat rooms. So please remember the following:<\/p>\n