‘A safe place to listen, share and be heard.’ – Great Online Community!

Elefriends is an app I use to express my thoughts, feelings and worries. I share my writing on there, I share photos on there (mostly of my dog Bruce) and I talk to people on there for help, support and advice. People who understand and listen. People who care (not to say that those in real life don’t, but the ones in real life don’t quite understand what I’m going through. Making someone understand is not an easy chore so I stumbled across this app by chance, it was while I was googling depression and reading others people’s stories and experiences. I came across it and without a second thought, I just decided to download it onto my mobile and I have been using it every day ever since. It’s been about 4/5 months since I first started using the app. This doesn’t seem like very long I suppose, but to me it does, especially as I have been using it every day. I found myself checking it religiously and scrolling through, looking to reach out to the ones who feel the same as me. I found myself using it more than my personal social media accounts. I guess it’s that freedom of being able to throw your words out there and know that people understand. No judgements, no nothing. Just a pure understanding of one another’s experiences. This understanding is what helped me to build connections with people on there, not only mental health wise but also personal interest and hobbies.

The people I have spoken to on there are nothing less than wonderful humans. People listen, care and advice… Despite not always knowing exactly who it is you are speaking to as users can remain anonymous and select their own username and photo, this to me, doesn’t really matter. After all, it’s a mental health app. You talk and share you worries and feelings and help each other. With soothing words, or stories that match. Either way, this platform is one I am so glad I came across when I did. I have really needed it. Personally for me, it has really helped and is still helping me.

If you are reading this, wherever you are and whoever you are. Know you are never alone. You may find this app helps you too. Often, speaking to someone we don’t know is much easier and much less painful than those loved ones nearby. This is the case for me anyway. Anyone I have spoken to on there so far and you will know who you are and just everyone in general that have supported. You are the best. Thank you for being as you are. I hope that maybe my words help you in some way too. In the same way yours help me. I am really going to miss Elefriends so much 🙁 but I know Side by Side will be just as good.

Side by Side

The app is managed by the mental health charity Mind. Just as I got used to using the app, almost like a bird building its nest (not the best analogy there but yeah) they have decided to move over and change the site from ‘Elefriends’ to ‘Side by Side’ – like most of us, we don’t seem to like change, especially when you are so comfortable with things being the way they are. It’s the familiarity but as I downloaded the new app a few days ago, I felt somewhat lost. Like with anything new, it will take a little while for all the users to adjust to the new site. Once any little glitches are ironed out, I think it will be just as wonderful if not more, as the current site. I am someone who uses my phone and rarely logs in through my desktop however despite there not being an app yet. The mobile site is still fairly user friendly and you can create a shortcut to it on your mobile to access it quicker and like you would when using ‘Elefriends’.

 Never feel like you are alone, I hope I get you meet some of you again on the new site. Let me know your thoughts and you can always reach out to someone on there or me. Whether it’s through the app or on here. Side by Side is a safe place for you to share whatever is on your mind. It can be whatever you feel that day. Just know someone will always be there to listen.

Love to all

Zo x

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