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THE ROLE OF NEW MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES IN HELPING PEOPLE WHO SUFFER FROM SOCIAL PHOBIA
Abstract
Virtual communities of support are becoming a connecting place for people with different health, emotional and social problems. It is where people find information about medication and therapy, a chance to verbalize their problem, find support and comfort by knowing they are not alone. In this paper we analyzed seven discussion forums with topics related to social phobia and noticed that they provided certain uses and gratifications for the participants who suffered from that type of social disorder. Uses and gratifications are: informing about the causes and symptoms of social phobia, informing about therapy and medication, emotional relief, exchange and comparison of experience, advice seeking, sharing advices, and providing comfort.
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