Cyber-Catharsis: Bloggers Use Web Sites as Therapy
The Internet is now teeming with some 15 million blogs. Although the medium first drew mainstream attention with commentary on high-profile events such as the presidential election, many now use it to chronicle intensely personal experiences, venting confessions in front of millions of strangers who can write back.
Nearly half of bloggers consider it a form of therapy, according to a recent survey sponsored by America Online Inc. And although some psychologists question the use of the Internet for therapy, one hospital in High Point, N.C., started devoting space to patients’ blogs on its Web site, a practice Inova Fairfax Hospital is also considering.
The patients use only first names on their blogs. Mary, a patient at the High Point Regional Health System, started blogging about ups and downs following her mini-gastric bypass surgery in March.
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2 Comments to
“Cyber-Catharsis: Bloggers Use Web Sites as Therapy”
http://www.highpointregional.com/blogs/index.asp (Patient Blogs at High Point Regional Health System)
I wonder if this is a HIPAA violation and/or Privacy Act? Blogs become another database. How can the hospital ensure confidentiality?
On the plus side, that’s a lot of people saving money each week, by blogging instead of sitting in front of a therapist.
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Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 14 Oct 2005
