Best to chat for free
7 Cups
- Price: Free and paid options
Those looking for free online support might find themselves chatting with a trained volunteer on 7 Cups, a free emotional health service.
Signing up is free and easy. When enrolling, you can create your own username or use one recommended to you by the username generator. This ensures your privacy when chatting with trained listeners, participating in group chats, or posting in the site’s communities.
One of the options when connecting with a trained listener is OCD. This alerts your listener, so you can have pointed support. You can also seek support for loneliness, anxiety, depression, LGBTQ+ issues, and more.
Though 7 Cups offers many free services, the company is also an online therapy provider. Trained volunteers can listen and help users by talking through their concerns, but they aren’t licensed mental health professionals.
If you’re considering online therapy, 7 Cups has paid options.
Best for co-occurring conditions
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
- Price: Varies
When anxiety or depression occur alongside other mental health conditions, such as OCD, this is known as co-occurring conditions.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) specializes in supporting those with anxiety and depression, as well as those who experience OCD alongside anxiety or depression.
ADAA offers resources for mental health, including a roster of online support groups for various conditions.
The list features the International OCD Foundation, which offers online OCD camps for children, online conferences on hoarding, online support groups for OCD, and more.
Best for video-based meetings
OCD Peers
- Price: $20–$35 per meeting
OCD Peers is a service that offers virtual peer-support groups using a HIPAA-compliant platform.
You can choose from two main group meetings to attend: OCD Support Groups and Community Nights.
OCD Support Groups are more intimate, with an estimated 6 to 10 people at a time (not including group leaders) who come from a variety of backgrounds. These meetings have an agenda but also allow for open discussion.
Community Nights consist of up to 25 people and last for a longer duration. Each person is encouraged to share, followed by discussion as a group.
Compared with other options, OCD Peers isn’t as affordable. Participants pay per group meeting instead of a monthly membership. The company also doesn’t offer free support groups.
To participate, you must register and pay for the meeting in advance, which can be inconvenient for people who don’t have flexible schedules.
Best for overall wellness
The Tribe – Wellness Community
- Price: Free
With more than 130,000 members, The Tribe is one of the largest online communities for peer-to-peer support.
The OCDTribe is much more than an online support group for people with OCD. It’s a place where you can participate in discussion forums, write blog posts, participate in wellness challenges, and use inspirational wellness tools.
While some online OCD resources might feel impersonal, The Tribe uses social network technology to create online communities of people with shared experiences and feelings.
When you join, you’ll gain access to an activity stream. You can also add friends and join groups, like the one dedicated to OCD support.
Unique to The Tribe is the set of wellness tools. Some allow you to track your mood and overall wellness, while others challenge you to be more mindful or spend time outside.
Best for joining multiple support groups
SupportGroups.com
- Price: Free
SupportGroups.com is a free directory of 220+ online support groups, one of which is the popular OCD Support Group with more than 44,000 members.
People with OCD are invited to join this network of people with similar experiences in a safe environment.
When you join the group, you’re prompted to share how you’re feeling. Fellow users can press the heart icon to show support, or leave a comment to initiate a discussion. Private messages are also allowed for one-on-one peer support.
Though some online support groups are associated with bullying and harassment, each group on SupportGroups.com is moderated. If someone is sending you unwanted messages, SupportGroups.com allows you to block them.
Best online community
HealthUnlocked
- Price: Free
HealthUnlocked is an online resource available 24/7 for people going through similar health experiences.
The platform offers online support groups, including My OCD Community with thousands of members. The site gets millions of visitors each month, but some features are only available to registered users.
In My OCD Community, members can start a discussion by writing a post or asking a question, which usually initiates several responses from other members. Users can also like others’ posts to show their support.
Users must comply with the Community Guidelines. The group is moderated by the International OCD Foundation and HealthUnlocked to ensure all members act in accordance with the guidelines.