Thanks, taurath. No, I know people with mental issues, it's not the lack of understanding it's lack of English language knowledge on my part. Obviously everything you suggesting here is true and I'll do my best to fix any wrongs on my site with the help of somebody. Thanks!

One part of the problem may be the current state of discourse around mental health in the United States: we have a long history of trivializing and/or stigmatizing mental health troubles, and so there's kind of a back-swing right now where people are very sensitive to anything that might be interpreted in that way. If you aren't from the U.S., you may have unintentionally waded into a cultural mine-field.

But, going past that, I think the bigger problem is that this site seems to lack a clear vision. Is it for support groups? The tagline makes it sound like it's just for "anyone who isn't mainstream", but then further down it gets very medical about mental health. It's unclear who the site is really aimed at and what purpose it's trying to serve, as well as what makes it different from standard social sites (aside from not asking for tons of personal information).

I get the sense you're doing this from a good place, so I wish you luck, but it needs some work if it's going to get traction, at least in the U.S.

Maybe it would help if you described a few of the people you know, and the level to which they're debilitated. There is a very wide range of ableness, and most people suffering from a mental health issue can get along in life just fine. There's a sense of... superiority that you project when you talk about people, and I have no idea where it comes from. Your site is intended to attract a wide range of people with depression, anxiety, bipolar, schizophrenia.

Yes, describe them in some way on the site. Maybe. But the superiority of mine is a surprise for me. I'm just a plain geek from Moscow who tries just do something useful for somebody. Thanks a lot for your input here!

Not on the site! I mean here - I'm trying to understand the context that you have on people with mental health issues, so I can better communicate a way to get to a better mindset.

I think there are some people with sever conditions inside their minds that truly disabled. I saw them and I don't understand how they live, what they feel about this life except I know they feel kindness and care to them just as anybody else. And there are others that can behave almost normaly on public and even those who lead an asolutely normal life. I know for an average person it's hard to understand the people with mental issues and the people understand it too but it's just some mistakes in the gene in the brains but they are all just as normal as anyone in the earth, just little problems, everybody has problems.

I'm going to offer some insight, particularly because I feel you are suffering from something I suffered from.

1- I think you have muddled thinking. This results in muddled messaging. Look at what you write: > I saw them and I don't understand how they live > I know for an average person it's hard to understand the people with mental issues > they are all just as normal as anyone in the earth, just little problems, everybody has problems

Do you see the contradictions in these? It feels dishonest (not saying it is, just how I feel)

Also, you are truly trying to capture everyone. That's not how it works. Facebook started as a college campus thing, with specific colleges.

You start out niche, then you go broad. Not the other way around.

My other suggestion: be personal. Why are you starting the site. How do YOU feel? What do YOU want? If you have a specific mental health issue, then focus on that. And find like minded people. Maybe mental health issues for the Russian diaspora?

Right now, you want: everyone who has any level of mental health issues (i.e. 25% of the population) and you want them for... chats (billion dollar industry), dating (billion dollar industry) and medical advice (billion dollar industry). Even facebook, google and amazon isn't that ambitious, and they have tens of billions of dollars in their war chest.

You need to be able to have a specific person in mind who is your idea brand ambassador, and have a service or something that they value enough to tell friends.

Thank you, 4ntonius8lock for your insight. Yes, I have social phobia or social anxiety disorder and had been thinking from the start to make something specifically for this group of people but decided then to do this social network for every one with mental issues. I know that start small is the way and I'll give it a proper thought too. But I think this site can be for any group of mentally troubled people too why not? Thanks again!

>just like "people that fly on planes" isn't a community, or "people who drink coffee from starbucks".

Both (or actual all three) examples seem like totally valid communities. There are groups of flying enthusiasts, starbucks-lovers, as there are coffee-lovers, star wars fans, FreeBSD users, etc.

And of course there are (existing) forums and online communities of people sharing the same issues, whether it's mental illness, the big C, abuse, trauma, and so on.

Isn't that the point of the board?

The lost in translation bits can be fixed of course, but in itself it's not a bad idea.

You're right - it wasn't a very good example, and it is a valid idea for a community. There are plenty of communities online for people with depression, anxiety, people on medication, people with mental illnesses...

I think there's more than a translation issue here though. I don't think the author really knows much about the community he's trying to serve - and its not just a subtlety of language thing.

Yeah, could do with an english speaker/editor to pick better wordings...

They're generally started by people in those demographics. The person here seems to have helicoptered into a wide range of loosely connected demographics with a community none of them asked for.

I think the community is the people that will come in, and that can happen given the tools and atmosphere.

The guy just provides the backend tools (forum service, targeted to specific audience, etc).

If enough people with those interests come in, it can be a totally viable community, regardless of whether somebody "asked for" it or not.

Yes I agree. When you struggle with mental health, you often feel like you are completely alone. But when you meet other's who are going through the same issues you are (or maybe worse) it makes you realize you're not alone and it's less frightening then. It's not necessarily about getting together and complaining or pitying one another, but it's about sharing your experiences to help people understand people more. If you bottle up anxiety or depression it makes it 10x worse, communication is key.