Emotional Belonging and Identity Reconstruction in Online Mental Health Peer Communities
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Abstract
The emergence of digital platforms has transformed how individuals with mental health challenges seek emotional connection and support, offering alternative spaces that differ markedly from traditional offline settings.
This study explores how individuals with a history of psychological distress experience emotional belonging and identity reconstruction within online mental health peer-support communities.
Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the study analyzed in-depth narratives from ten participants who actively engaged in virtual peer communities. The analysis focused on the subjective meanings participants attached to their digital interactions and the relational dynamics within these spaces.
The findings reveal four central themes: (1) the psychological safety afforded by anonymity, (2) emotional reciprocity and shared vulnerability, (3) construction of digital selfhood through acceptance and recognition, and (4) the formation of community-based identity beyond clinical labels. Participants described these online spaces as restorative environments that provided authenticity, connection, and a sustained sense of emotional belonging—often lacking in their offline social worlds.
Online peer communities can serve not only as coping mechanisms but also as transformative ecosystems that reshape emotional well-being and self-perception. The study highlights the affective and relational potential of virtual engagement and offers practical implications for developing trauma-informed, inclusive digital mental health spaces.
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