King, 'Computer Bulletin Boards, A Support Network For Recovering Drug Addicts', Arachnet Electronic Journal on Virtual Culture v2n04 (September 27, 1994) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/aejvc/aejvc-v2n04-king-computer The Arachnet Electronic Journal on Virtual Culture __________________________________________________________________ ISSN 1068-5723 September 27, 1994 Volume 2 Issue 4 EJVCV2N4 KING Computer Bulletin Boards, A Support Network For Recovering Drug Addicts Storm King Abstract The use of computer bulletin boards for information sharing, topic discussions and therapeutic support is a fast growing, widespread phenomena. This paper is a descriptive study of the use of a bulletin board by a population of recovering drug addicts and alcoholics. The reading and writing of messages on these national recovery networks represents a powerful new tool in the treatment of addiction. To determine the effectiveness and usage rates of bulletin boards, the author presents survey results and historical analysis. Fifty-eight percent of recovery network users report having made contact by phone or mail with other users they met on the bulletin boards. The number of hours the bulletin board was used per week was positively correlated with reported improvement in the user's recovery program. The length of time that a user reported being an active member on this bulletin board was also positively correlated with reported recovery program improvement and with the reported frequency that users wrote to the bulletin board seeking support. > Introduction Electronic Support Groups (ESG's) are a type of virtual community. Virtual communities are a new phenomena. They are a group of people that exchange words and ideas through the mediation of computer bulletin boards (BB's) and networks, by posting messages to public boards and exchanging private email This fast growing phenomena is being used by many people to fulfill, in part, their need for a community of peers (Rheingold 92). Addicts and alcoholics in recovery have formed ESG's on many networks, both at a local and international level. Very little is known about the therapeutic value they receive from exchanging written notes this way. It is known that recovering drug addicts using ESG's receive "24 hour availability, selective participation in entering and responding to messages, anonymity and privacy, immediate and/or delayed responding, and recording of transmissions" (Sparks 93). This is different from meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA), where members typically share only once, or not at all, during the hour they are together as a group. There are advantages and disadvantages to the sharing of recovery tools and experiences via ESG's. Among the advantages are the thoughtfulness of the replies to issues that recovering addicts face in common. Writing is different from spoken conversation in that thoughts can be formed more slowly and edited more carefully. The experiences and personal triumphs, as they are expressed in written form, may seem more powerful and clearer than similar messages shared in person at a meeting of AA or NA. The impact of the written word can be striking. BB communication allows one the time to study remarks and extract all of the implications in them. It is possible to choose to reply or not, having given the matter more careful thought than normal in a face to face meeting. Words on a screen also allow people to communicate without any barriers due to prejudice based on appearance or age. However, this same sense of anonymity can create a problem. "Because the nuances of facial expression, body language and tone of voice are missing, it is also easy to misunderstand intentions, and to be drawn into a heated argument that would have never happened in a face-to-face conversation" (Rhiengold 93). This descriptive study was designed to answer the following questions and to get a overall feel for how ESG's operate. To what extent do addicts using ESG's for sharing feel it helps them remain drug free? Does long term participation in ESG's result in a significant improvement in an addicts program of recovery? > Methods To document the therapeutic value of electronic support groups (ESG's) for recovering addicts, a survey questionnaire was posted to several well used recovery bulletin boards (BB's). In addition to this, a list of active participants on these BB's was compiled and the questionnaire was emailed to this list. Among the questions asked were ones that revealed the total time a respondent used the BB, the amount they felt it improved their program of recovery and whether or not the respondent ever contacted other members they met on the BB by phone, mail or in person. There was no way to determine how many people read the posted survey, and did not reply to it. At this time there is no way to determine how many "lurkers", the cyberspace term for people that read but never respond in writing to a BB), there are in the various ESG's. To determine the overall usage of one popular recovery BB, a count was made of the notes posted to Prodigy, a commercial interactive network, for a 30 day period. Three months later, the same BB was counted again to determine if the overall usage rate had increased. Additional questions asked about the respondents frequency of using the BB to seek advice, to give advice and to seek support. Demographic information was solicited also. Correlation's for all variables were compiled. The ESG on Prodigy (a commercial interactive network) was studied intensively for this report. It is listed on Prodigy under the Medical Support section. There is an alcohol abuse BB and a drug abuse BB available. Some recovering addicts are participants in both forums. The alcohol abuse BB has many more participants than the drug abuse one. This follows the pattern in the world today, where Alcoholics Anonymous is much larger than Narcotics Anonymous. A participant may choose to only read notes, to reply to a note on a subject, to reply to a reply, to start a new note on that subject, or to create a new subject. > Results In the initial 30 day observation period of the alcohol abuse BB on Prodigy, there were 473 different notes posted on 82 different subjects and 3,179 replies posted to these notes. In a follow up observation 4 months later, there were 649 notes posted on 149 different subjects, with 4750 replies to those notes, for an increase in the usage rate of 32.4%. Fifty-eight percent of respondents had made contact with others they met on the BB, by phone, postal service mail or in person. The length of time a respondent reported being in recovery and the number of months of BB use were strongly correlated with this contact variable. A strong correlation was found to exist between the number of hours per week a respondent reported that they used the BB and the amount they reported that BB use improved the overall quality of their efforts to stay drug free (see figure 1). It appears that the regular, frequent contact with members from widely separated backgrounds and experiences available on computer BB's can significantly improve one's ability to remain drug free. It must be noted that most all respondents to the survey reported that they use the BB to supplement regular attendance at NA or AA. Improvement in recovery program was strongly correlated with total months of BB use and the reported frequency that respondents used the BB to seek advice. Men use these ESG's more than women. There is a significant difference between the usage rates and the reported improvement in recovery program between men and women. Men reported a much higher use than women and a higher overall improvement in their program of recovery. 39 men and 31 women responded to the survey. > Discussion The correlation between ESG usage rates and the reported improvement in recovery program indicates that a large number of addicts have found a beneficial resource unduplicated by other means. It appears that the efforts needed to remain drug free (access to support, the need to feel part of a peer group) are very complimentary to the advantages of ESG's. The selective participation and the 24 hour availability provided a means of recovery enhancement not found elsewhere. The extent of the population of recovering drug addicts who participate worldwide on these forums (local and national) is unknown, but it is extensive and growing rapidly. From newcomers to people with many years drug free, addicts with computers have discovered a means of support and a way to exchange information that compliments their meeting attendance and other recovery tools. As a common interest group among others on these networks, the drug addict one is unique in that recovery from drug addiction often requires peer support for it to be successful. Addicts who exchange stories and emotional support by computer are not just engaged in an adjunct to therapy, that is their therapy. Electronic Support Groups for recovering drug addicts are a new phenomena. They offer the addict another means of support, a source of information and a feeling of belonging to a nationwide virtual community. Their use is growing rapidly. The advantages of this electronic format are numerous and represent an addition to the standard tools used to achieve and maintain abstinence from drugs. The level of concern for each other shown by participants who have never seen each other is a phenomena that begs future study. The therapy inherent in the exchange of experience, strength and hope on this ESG is real, valuable, and, in many ways, unique to this format. One question raised by the present study is whether or not ESG's could be recommended by treatment facilities as a way of introducing some shy clients to others in recovery. If so, which clients would be most likely to benefit from this approach? There have been documented cases of addicts and alcoholics who found recovery for the first time after witnessing the conversations between members of a recovery ESG. The frequency of this type of treatment for addiction is as yet unknown. The strong correlation between use rates of the ESG's and contact with other members by phone or in person raises the interesting question of what the exact value of such a geographically extended network of friends is for one's recovery effort. The strong correlation between the frequency of advice seeking and the reported improvement in recovery program raises a question about the nature of recovery from addiction in general. Do people who utilize others as resources have a better chance of finding lasting recovery? Finally, the psychology of virtual communities in general and of recovery ones in particular is a subject that contains many unknowns. Are these true communities? How can the value to users who only read and never respond be assessed? Who become the leaders in such communities and how is status achieved? "The therapeutic value of one addict helping another is without parallel" (NA Text, 91). Only now, more and more addicts are helping each other by means of a modem. > Descriptives Mean Std. Dev. Min Max Months on BB 7.5 6.3 .2 30 Houres per week 3.8 3.0 .8 15 Improvement * 2.9 1.0 1 4 Seeking advice* 2.0 .7 1 3 Seeking support* 2.5 .9 1 4 Giving advice* 2.3 .7 1 4 Months in 68 64 .5 240 recovery *Reported on a likert scale, 1=lowest, 4=highest N=64 > INTER-CORRALATIONS Fig. 1 Houres Improv Advice Support Giving Months# Contact## Months on BB .07 .40* .51** .24 .40* .18 .44** Hours per week .46** .24 -.01 .22 .03 .29 Improvement .46** .29 .17 -.00 .31 Seeking advice .41* .39* -.05 .47** Seeking support .29 .08 .18 Giving advice .10 .46** Months in recovery .40* # Months in recovery. ##Contact with others by phone, postal mail or in person. N=61, listwise 2-tailed significance: * = .01 ** = .001 > Terms and Acronyms in Cyberspace > Flame war; A heated debate > FTF; face to face, as in a live meeting > ((((name))))) ; Electronic hugs for person named > Lurker; Term for someone that reads and never writes. > :) Smiley face, indicates humor. > IRL; In real life. > IMHO; In my humble opinion. > IMNSHO; In my not so humble opinion > References > Narcotics Anonymous 1984 by World Service Office, Inc., Van nuys, CA > Rheingold, Howard "Cold knowlege and Social Warmth", Newsweek, September 6, 1993 p 49 > Rheingold, Howard "A Slice of Life in My Virtual Community", Published electronicly in the Well. @well.sf.ca.us 1992 > Sparks, Susan N., "Exploring Electronic Support Groups". 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