The Short type: Singles who may have already been diagnosed with a mental illness may suffer nervous about joining a standard mature dating website and fear they could be evaluated, harassed, or denied for their condition. These singles frequently feel separated and despair of meeting a person who recognizes the things they’re going through. Which is one thing Jim Leftwich set out to alter when he launched NoLongerLonely.com, a distinct segment dating internet site for men and females with mental conditions. Since 2004, No Longer Lonely has built a worldwide community for singles who’ve been identified as having schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, PTSD, OCD, alongside psychological state conditions â because who safer to know very well what you are experiencing than someone that’s gone through it, also? Over time, no more Lonely features facilitated lots of friendships, connections, and marriages by providing a safe location where people with mental disease are welcomed in the place of stigmatized.
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Jim Leftwich knows what it’s like to have a problem with a mental illness. He was diagnosed with schizoaffective ailment as a man, and possesses taken several years of treatment for him to find stability within his life. He has held it’s place in a psychiatric hospital, lived-in halfway property, and worked their in the past to great mental health so today he’s a self-supporting, semi-retired manager of a college collection.
He might have stumbled at first, but the guy did not permit his medical diagnosis prevent him from attaining his goals. In fact, Jim doesn’t think a mental infection should stand-in the way in which of anyone searching for glee, balance, and love within lives. He’s made it their goal to test the stigma around mental disease and empower people to over come their unique private issues, particularly in the personal arena.
In 2004, Jim changed the matchmaking landscaping for singles like themselves â definitely, singles who have been identified as having a mental illness â by introducing a distinct segment dating website for all the mentally ill. It absolutely was one dating system to solely target this underserved population for the dating scene, therefore garnered news attention from CNN, Huffington article, new York circumstances, and Narratively.
“i am gifted with a recuperation that most folks do not attain,” Jim told united states. “Now i simply need help more and more people and deliver all of them a note of empowerment. Mental disease isn’t a thing that should hold you right back.”
NoLongerLonely.com provides 22,000+ consumers and is also the leading dating program for psychologically sick people all over the world. Any individual identified as having a mental infection can sign up to the dating site at no cost and find out just what network is all about. The site links those that have already been diagnosed with schizophrenia, manic depression, OCD, individuality disorder, PTSD, and numerous different mental ailments because such people can relate with each other’s experiences
Invest a Two-Week Free Trial examining the Supportive Community
It doesn’t price anything to create a profile on not Lonely. The dating internet site even offers a two-week trial offer for every users, to help you browse about to get a feeling of exactly how everything operates before getting a membership program.
Jim stated you need to him that their people believe they may be obtaining a worth through the site. “Needs them to say, âThat had been a financial investment,’” he told us. Not Lonely has actually three membership programs â a one-month, three-month, and lifetime. Approximately 60% of customers try for the lifetime plan since they are into playing the long video game and putting in the full time it takes to obtain the proper individual.
The sign-up procedure begins on a helpful note through providing profile design guidelines, including just how to craft an attention-grabbing title and just why it is important to be truthful regarding what you are searching for.
Following that, it is a pretty regular put-in-your-email and choose-a-username process. When you are generating your profile, you’ll decide to disclose your peak, weight, and your own bio, and also fill-in optional industries for the transportation, functioning status, and residing circumstance. Users may choose to share their unique prognosis and as long as they desire.
No Longer Lonely encourages transparent matchmaking profiles with detailed information. Users can try to let folks understand upfront if they’re residing in area 8 housing or have problems with schizophrenia. Not any longer Lonely wants singles feeling secure referring to their particular private circumstances and wellness. It isn’t some dirty key, perhaps not here. You don’t need to include a picture towards profile to see the web site and send emails. But consumers with profile photos tend to be more productive on internet dating sites simply because they look more legitimate.
Once you have received your own profile squared away, you’ll scan databases of users who happen to be on line now, users remembering birthdays, and brand new users, or they’re able to conduct a detailed search by sex, get older, medical diagnosis, and place to locate a suitable person on the site. Not any longer Lonely also has a live cam place in which members can combine and mingle anonymously. “your own talk area may be the coolest,” said Michael, just who resides in a small community in Montana. “The buddies I’ve met on NoLongerLonely.com make the terrible days a great deal better.”
“I attempt to produce a sense of neighborhood,” Jim stated. “Most internet dating sites tend to be unpassioned, thus I try making it a more individual thing. You know, i am exactly like you, and I also operate the website.”
Prioritizing Security & Giving Users Peace of Mind
Singles with a mental disease definitely have some bookings about uploading their private information on the web, specially a dating internet site. For this reason Jim goes out of his way to guarantee no further Lonely is a secure, secure, and personal destination to make friends and big date. The guy fosters an agreeable, judgment-free environment in which men and women need not be concerned with fake profiles or spammer spiders.
“The security from the site is actually a high priority for me,” Jim mentioned. “I simply take great attention in checking all incoming profiles and keeping scammers out-of right here.”
“I found superior man i possibly could ever before expect you’ll meet about website⦠we are marriage subsequent spring.” â Laura, a No further Lonely user
Jim told all of us he checks internet protocol address addresses and displays profile content assure everyone else on not any longer Lonely could there be for the ideal explanations.
No Longer Lonely will be the earliest and biggest dating site for adults with mental illness, and contains stayed working and profitable for so long due to the persistent oversight who has kept it free of abusive vocabulary and damaging behaviors. People know they are able to trust this platform to protect their particular details and deliver an amiable atmosphere where they are able to fulfill individuals who express comparable existence experiences.
Inspiring many affairs & 40+ Marriages
Not everyone else believes to publish back again to a relationship program when they’ve met somebody and walked down into the sunset together, but Jim said they have heard from some lovers just who mentioned they met and began internet dating because of his site. The guy estimated that no further Lonely has recently triggered over 40 marriages, in which he hopes growing that quantity over time.
Going past simply online dating, don’t Lonely has established an on-line society where people who have mental disease can find various types of interpersonal contacts. Whether or not they wish to release regarding the forums or flirt in a personal cam, the dating site permits individuals conveys on their own (as long as they use appropriate language) without concern with view.
A lot of don’t Lonely users (around 70percent) inhabit the usa, nevertheless web site has users in 44 different countries, particularly the UK, Canada, and Australia. Jim said users occasionally form intercontinental friendships and long-distance relationships on the system. The guy told the story of 1 solitary lady just who travelled to England meet up with men just who struggled with a social panic attacks. They would been in contact for months before making a decision they believed comfortable meeting in-person and getting their particular link to the next stage.
Internet dating can provide individuals with mental illness a non-intimidating solution to check out their unique internet dating choices and connect with individuals throughout the world. Physical borders and psychological obstructs don’t need to restrict love on no further Lonely.
“there is a luxurious to matchmaking somebody who has undergone similar things,” Jim stated. “i am battling from the frame of mind which is stacked against all of us.”
Don’t Lonely delivers a strengthening Message
Over recent years, Jim made a name for themselves as a leader in a niche dating space. Not any longer Lonely started since passion project of somebody whom knows the challenges encountered by people who have mental illness â and now the web based neighborhood consists of tens and thousands of productive people. By providing simple, dependable, and specific online dating methods, Jim aids singles on the road to great psychological state.
“every person’s lovable. Everybody has some one on the market for them.” â Jim Leftwich, Founder of No Further Lonely
The purpose of No Longer Lonely is right there inside name. The market dating site motivates singles with emotional sicknesses locate comfort, solidarity, and love in a secure area made to satisfy their requirements. Its free to get in on the matchmaking circle and make good advances toward the type of life need â and the type love you deserve.
“It is best that you have company and look for love,” Jim stated. “Even though you’ve been clinically determined to have a mental illness, that does not mean you are not capable of enjoying everything everybody else really does.”
