Yes, I've seen some online mental health forums die (or become ghost towns) over the recent five years. I used to be a regular on one called MDJunction. Even a moderator there. That was quite busy and had a vibrant and supportive community on their bipolar forum. Then gradually "root" members started to leave. Yes, sometimes for reasons unrelated to the website, but more often for reasons because of it. Once "root" members leave, there is often a void which creates an avalanche effect. Or if the forum is not properly moderated, potential members never sign on fully. Yes, the moderation itself can be a big problem. It is complex to deal with personalities. Ones who have mood disorders may be especially so.

When an online forum has too few ACTIVE posters (or has perceived "cliques"), or ones who give little support, why would a potential member join in? You might see well over 100 people viewing a forum, but only maybe 10 members regularly post. And of the 10, some only seek support and rarely give it. And sometimes new members don't even get enough support. Again, mental health issues can make people sensitive. Feeling neglected is common. Once there is neglect, the acquisition success ends.

I know of a couple online forums where the website owner was a bit to blame. Of course they rarely think that. One example was CrazyMeds. Used to have a very popular forum, but that is gone. At least some of the useful info the owner created is still utilized.

Like everything in corporate America, there are fewer and fewer of certain categories of services. The big ones get bigger and bigger. I do sometimes go to Reddit. It's not bad and is fairly vibrant, but it's not the same kind of community that Psych Central and the former MDJunction were. There's no "family" or "friends" feel at those big forums. Things get colder and colder. That's not a healthy environment for people with mental health needs.

When I first saw this thread, I decided not to participate. But today I felt compelled to. I have cared about all of the forums I visited in the past, and many members in them.