Chat Articles

Medically Reviewed By: Aaron Horn, LMFT, MA

Chat

Chat is something that has become more and more prevalent as the internet has grown. Initially, with AOL messenger (frequently referred to as AIM) in the 1990s, people used instant messenger to talk to one another. You could use AIM to talk to your friends, co-workers, or people from school. You could also use it to communicate with strangers and develop connections with new people. Chatting is a way to talk to people online and form friendships, or even romantic relationships. However, chat has another function when it comes to mental health. It can provide people with psychological relief, and it is a great way to express your feelings. That’s why online therapy is so successful! When you interact with a mental health professional using online chat, you can communicate your emotions and get feedback quickly.

Why Anonymous Chats Make People Feel Good

Anonymous chats can be freeing for someone that is suffering from a mental illness or transitional life issues. Let’s say that you are getting divorced and don’t want to talk to your friends about it because you feel like it is consuming the majority of your conversations and is starting to strain your friendship. If you locate an anonymous chatroom where other people are separating from their spouses, you will have a place to correspond with people who will understand what you are going through and offer you advice or comfort. Divorces aren’t easy, and it’s important to remember that you’re entitled to ask for support. Anonymous chatrooms can be built around a variety of topics such as grief, living with mental illnesses such as Bipolar Disorder or Schizophrenia, or something fun, like a common interest in art. Chatting with strangers isn’t something to be ashamed of. Instead, be proud that you are supporting yourself and your mental health by reaching out to and sharing with others.

Safety

One thing to note is that your safety in chat rooms is essential. Make sure you don’t use your real name or any identifying information. Proceed with caution when chatting with strangers online. Get to know them before revealing intimate details about your life. It’s okay to develop online friendships, but like any relationship in life, take it slow. The same goes for establishing a relationship with your therapist. You should wait to get an idea of who they are before you trust them completely.

Online Counseling

Online counseling supports chat as a form of communication. The ability to access chat when receiving mental health treatment is a benefit of establishing a relationship with an online counselor. Your online counselor can work with you through video chat, text chat, or on the phone. The advantage of chatting online with your counselor is that you don’t have to wait for a return phone call or experience the anxiety of not knowing when you are going to hear back. Instead, they are accessible and readily available through the chat on your phone. In the BetterHelp app, you can talk to your counselor at any time, and they should be able to message you back within 24 hours. Chatting makes people feel less alone when they need it. 

Reaching Out For Help

Chatting with people who have similar problems to yours can inspire you to reach out for further support. The great thing about chat rooms is that they offer peer to peer interaction. You’re talking with people who are experiencing similar struggles to yours. However, they’re not mental health professionals who are helping to treat you. If you realize that you need more guidance with some of your life challenges, you can seek out a therapist. An online counselor is an excellent mental health professional who dedicates their time to helping others. Search our network of experienced online counselors at BetterHelp and explore what we can do for you. It can be a great tool to use in the pursuit of improving your quality of life. You never know how much talking to a mental health professional can help you until you reach out and ask for the support that you need.

Commonly Asked Questions On This Topic Found Below:

Which is the best online chat?

There are a number of services that you can utilize when you want to communicate with others that you know through chat. To determine what the best one is, you’ll need to know what you want to be able to accomplish by using it. One may allow you to text a loved one, while another could let you chat with bots.

Be sure to check whether the sites and apps you use connect via https, which is more secure than other ways. This can help you keep your data and conversations safer, which can be especially important in a business setting. If you choose the wrong service, your confidential information and data may be at risk.

How do you use chat?

In many cases, you are able to use chat simply by visiting a website or downloading an app and signing up. Then, depending on the service that you chose, you may be able to send messages, collaborate with others on projects, and contact individuals that you want to talk to.

What does a chat do?

Chat essentially refers to being able to have conversations over the internet. You don’t have to call someone or write them a letter to be able to send them messages. It is done electronically, so you can reach more people and it can arrive nearly instantaneously. Conversations can reach their intended recipient right away.

Can I chat with Google?

You are able to chat through Google when you utilize Google Chat. This is a service that was originally intended for business purposes but is now available for all Gmail users. It is considered to be part of Google Workspace and is helpful for teams to share data, information, and knowledge in order to collaborate with one another, or for kids to message friends that are in their contacts, and many purposes in between.

What is Gmail chat?

Gmail Chat and Google Chat are essentially the same thing. It is an app, which can be used on a smartphone or computer that allows you to have conversations with a group, talk to workers, track tasks, and much more. This app is text based, but there are other options that Google Workspace provides that will allow you to interact through video or voice with an individual, group, or team.

Is Google chat free?

Google Chat is free to use for people that have Gmail or Google accounts, but there are perks if a business wants to pay for additional services related to Google Workspace. Also, for interested developers or web editors, there are tools that you may be able to use to build your own chat app. This can help you make sure you are in compliance with regulations when you are attempting to make your own chat, since the structure is above board and trusted in different communities already.