7 Cups
Reviews and Complaints

I have been using this site for YEARS now, both as a member and listener. I have never paid for the actual licensed therapy so I'm not sure how that is but I can give you my thoughts on the former 2.

Having someone that will listen to your problems and provide support is vital to my everyday mental health. It isn't easy to tell your problems to someone you know so this a great confidential alternative. The listeners however, are not qualified to give you advice. You should not go into this thinking this is going to be a free therapy session. Everyone seems to want to help and if by the rare occurrence you run into a listener that is trying to give you bad advice or trolling/abusing, there is a report button and 7 Cups seems to take that very seriously.

As a listener, I feel this is such a great way to give back and show support for everyone that has helped not only grow this community, but that has helped me when I was needing it most. I find joy in listening to others' problems and helping other people. I also love that you can legitimately use this as volunteer work on a resume.

Ultimately, I love the layout of the website (however the app needs some work), ease of use, and the community. It just feels like one big platform of people trying to help each other.

Bonjour, je suis une jeune fran?aise de 14 ans, il y a deux ans maintenant, j'ai fait une depression, j'ai tent?e plusieurs fois de me tuer et j'ai fini par aller un peu mieux l'ann?e derni?re, je n'en avais parl?e ? presque personne except?e ma psychologue que j'ai fini par arr?ter de voir, cependant, je sentais depuis quelques mois d?j? que je recommen?ais ? me sentir mal et ? penser ? des choses mauvaises, j'ai donc d?cid?e de ne pas me laisser faire et de rechercher de l'aide en ligne, mes relations familiales ?tant tr?s mauvaises, j'ai trouv?e une "pub" sur pinterest/instagram il me semble et j'ai voulu tenter.
Il ?tait deux heures du matin et j'?tais en pleurs sous ma couette.
J'ai parl?e ? deux personnes, la premi?re, tr?s gentille, ? essay?e de m'aider mais j'?tais g?n?e et ai fini par invent?e une excuse pour quitter la conversation, j'en suis encore d?sol?e et ai quand m?me mis la note maximale ? l'?coutante car elle a quand m?me su me mettre un sourire sur le visage.
La deuxi?me personne, ?tait plus directe, j'?tais ?tonn?e au d?but et ne m'y attendais pas, mais au final je crois que c'?tait ce dont j'avais besoin, j'ai voulu la recontacter par la suite mais je n'ai pas os?e.
Me revoici, quelques mois apr?s, me sentant mieux qu'avant et ayant l'impression de gu?rir.
Merci infiniment 7cups.

7cups offers a unique and innovative approach to mental health support, by providing users with access to trained listeners who are available 24/7 to provide emotional support and guidance. The platform is designed to be accessible to anyone, regardless of their background or financial situation, which is a major advantage in terms of making mental health support more widely available.

One of the standout features of 7cups is the community aspect. Users have the option to join peer support groups, participate in online forums, and connect with other individuals who are going through similar experiences. This can be a powerful way to feel less isolated and more connected, which is especially important for those who may not have access to other sources of social support.

However, it's important to note that 7cups is not a replacement for professional mental health care. The listeners on the platform are trained to provide emotional support and guidance, but they are not licensed mental health professionals. For individuals with more severe or complex mental health needs, it's recommended to seek out the guidance of a mental health professional, such as a therapist or psychiatrist.

Overall, 7cups appears to be a valuable resource for individuals seeking emotional support and guidance. The platform's accessibility and community aspect make it a unique and innovative approach to mental health support, and it has helped many people who may not have otherwise been able to access support. However, it's important to keep in mind that 7cups is not a substitute for professional mental health care, and individuals with more complex needs should seek out the guidance of a licensed mental health professional.

After being a listener for over two years, I must say that I have really enjoyed my time at 7 Cups tremendously. I started out as a regular member who was in major need of help with depression and suicidal thoughts. Despite the fact that listeners are not trained professional therapists, I was very fortunate to be able to speak to someone who showed empathy to my situation. As badly as I needed someone in that moment, it made the difference about whether or not I was going to take my own life or not. If that person could take time out of their day to be there and listen to somebody, I asked myself, why couldn't I do the same for someone?

So, I decided to become a listener. And it was a truly rewarding experience. Probably one of the best decisions I made in my life. The insights that I'm able to give to someone and know that they can walk away from the chat with a different mindset or outlook on their situation is truly remarkable. I also learn a great deal from each chat and it helps me to even become a better person.

I always recommend 7 Cups to everyone I know. That includes people I know in my personal life. Thus far, nobody has been brave enough to try it out, but I feel that someday that will change. We all need a helping hand and someone to listen to us without fear of judgement and with a sense of empathy, compassion, and dignity. Like any community, there may or may not be room for improvement, but overall, I think 7 Cups is the best alternative therapy you can get. And even if you do need to talk to a professional, they have you covered in so many ways with so many trained people willing to help. I would tell the next person reading this, if you haven't already given 7 Cups a try, at least try it once. You may see a big difference after your first chat as I did.

I have literally been using this platform since I was 15 years old. 7 cups is so amazing at creating opportunities and options for people of every kind to receive help in the form of compassionate conversation all the way to quality professional therapy.The least I could do after 5 years of them always being there for me is to leave review for this remarkable company. They offer resources that can fit into every budget, even if you don't have a dime to your name! You can speak with listeners worldwide for therapy and just needed conversation. They have so many listeners, you can tune into the platform at pretty much anytime of the day or night and receive help. They put no pressure on you to pay anything or meet any expectations as far as receiving services. You can log in at any moment and join a multitude of chatrooms, social groups, and private conversations for a long or as little as you need to. You can speak to 1000 listeners in a night if you wanted to and there would be no obligation or objection to you doing that. They have genre's of therapy and listeners for every mental stress, disorder, and every stressful life event possible. They have categories specialized for lgbtq, marriage issues, every disorder imaginable, every living situation imaginable, they take into consideration the full spectrum of potential issues or things a person may be dealing with. Everyone on their platform is so helpful, informative, and compassionate. They are truly amazing and I am so grateful for finding them at such a young age. I'm 21 now soon turning 22 btw! Thank you 7 Cups for always being there for me during my lowest times. Thank you for never shutting down your website and always finding new ways to innovate and grow your platform for people like me who just simply needed a safe space to be. We appreciate you!

I've been an active member on 7 Cups since 2017. My experience with the site has been heavily positive. I've connected with a long-term listener who has supported me through various difficulties. It's amazing to think an individual on the other end is volunteering their time to actively listen to my challenges.

The anonymity factor makes this a safe experience for me. Because I grew up in a country that stigmatizes mental illnesses, seeking therapeutic support is nearly impossible - so I pour out my heart's appreciation for 7 Cups. Without this platform, I would remain in silence and left feeling alone.

I've also been active in the Subcommunities - specifically the Eating Disorder Sub community - There is where I could continue to check in with people who are experiencing a similar situation to myself, and ask others about their challenges and how they've been dealing with them.

The greatest experience 7 Cups has given me, is the experience of not being alone. When you know your struggles are shared with others, you're more likely to feel comforted, safer, validated, compassion...

When my listener is not available, I've easily been able to join a general request queue, where I can speak to other available listeners. This convenience has become part of the way I cope when something tough arises.

The beauty about 7 Cups is that it's constantly and consistently growing. I've seen this platform overcome it's own drawbacks and loopholes, and solving any issue that arises. For growth, you need patience. Cups continues to refine it's policies and structures, and continues to implement new strong projects and initiative which has remained inclusive for the wider community.

Thank you 7 Cups! For being an available option for those who have as close to nothing when it comes to mental health support. I will continue to utilize your available features and options for as long as the option remains!

7 Cups is a community that has made mental health support and awareness accessible globally - for free via trained volunteer listeners as well as through affordable therapy options. Based on the powerful approach of how something as 'simple' as active listening can help support others, you are welcome to Browse Listeners to vent to and attain emotional support. Apart from this feature, the site offers several moderated group support rooms, wherein various guided discussions as well as sharing circles take place. The site also has around 40 topic based subcommunities with great forum support. An Expert Mental Health News and Advice section also offers insight into tips and information from professionals. With other features like growth paths and community events, this site has lots to explore!

I stumbled upon 7 Cups when I was trying to research the idea of volunteering and supporting others online. As a mental health advocate and psychology student, I can say that 7 Cups has fulfilled my needs to practice what I love! As a youth leader, I am amazed by the leadership opportunities, teamwork, and collaboration on the site - seeing an international community of listeners as well as members leading initiatives that lead to lots of change has been super inspiring.

One thing I would say about 7 Cups is that it is tailored for endless growth opportunities. I found myself enjoying being an Intern, being supported and encouraged to research something creative, graduating with honors and then apart from helping as a listener, I was able to join so many diverse leadership opportunities! From listener growth and peer support to member support initiatives - this site continues to be a community where you can have your voice heard and supported.

Listener quality, site safety, and content factors are some that are consistently developed and the community has a very transparent way of sharing what is going on - I like feedback personally, and I like how 7 Cups has been growing based on feedback - directly from its users and volunteers!

As a member of this site, you have to realize that this is not a substitute for therapy. It is a site that allows a human to interact with another human over the internet. Both are strangers, and for some reason I felt like I could "bare my soul" and not worry about judgment. The listeners are mostly very supportive and do what they are supposed to do - "listen." Every once in a while you run into someone who wants to throw a bunch of non-helpful cliches in your general direction, which isn't helpful. These people are definitely not therapists, so if you're looking for solid advice, that's not what the site is for, and it's clear. It's a way to get stuff that's rolling around inside your head out there and discussed. I can talk about things that are bothering me, and somehow I feel lighter after having typed them into the interwebs. I appreciate the volunteers out there willing to listen to me whine and complain, and they at least seem like they don't mind! For me, that's awesome. And my husband doesn't have to listen to any of it, which is awesome for him.

I read a couple other reviews on this site that say they think the site is all about profit, but I don't feel pressured into paying for the therapy services advertised. I will say that I don't find a lot of value in the group chat rooms. Seems like those who moderate in those rooms should have some sort of guided topics or something, so that there is relevant discussion in the rooms when you visit. Every time I've gone in those chat rooms, it's a string of hello/hi/hey and not much else. I love the question and answer section, where there are multiple responses to questions on topics of interest to me. And some of the forums are fun to join, in that you can "check in" daily or weekly with a question of the week, or something of that nature.

And I'll say it one last time, because it bears repeating - the free features of this site are not meant to be therapy - in any way, shape or form. It is a social site that offers a little relief when you need someone to hear what you have to say in that moment. If you really think about it, there are very few free sites that allow interaction between two humans. In a world where there are so many people alone, let's try to be positive about a website that is offering that option to those who really do need that kind of venue.

Ok lol As I write this I can see the 1 star reviews on the side. But in my personal experience, it has helped me a lot mentally. I have been on the site for a few years. Something I never did before getting a 7Cups account was to talk about my feelings and verbalize them. I would always hear, if you feel bad then talk to someone about it, but I couldn't bring myself to be vulnerable to my friends and family, due to not being that close with them and not trusting them enough. So 7Cups was basically a way to get around that, online and anonymous chat.

After I got an account, I started to talk to Noni or listeners all the time, because I felt bad all the time and I wouldn't know what to do to make it better, so I would just follow that advice I always heard ("Talk to someone") and get on 7Cups. It was helpful both to gain awareness about my thoughts and feelings, which I maybe could do myself without 7Cups, and because of the empathy and perspective that I get from talking to other people.

For me it has been something very reliable and always there. I have talked to listeners after fighting with my parents, after getting bad grades at school, when I get anxious about social or professional situations, when I get pretty much tr***red after something in the present reminds me of something in the past, and sometimes just when I feel really bad and have no idea what to do about it. Maybe I use it more than is normal. For me, at least right now, one bad thing happening can bring my mood down and send my thoughts spiraling for the whole day. And when that happens, I feel terrible about everything and don't know what to do about it. At those times I feel the most helpful thing I can do is to turn to 7Cups.

I have considered myself to be mentally bad for a period of at least 6-7 years, and counting. Admittedly I was young for a lot of that time and was clueless on how to deal with feelings, anxiety, bad life situations at school or home, and things like that. It was in the summer of 9th grade when I made my 7Cups account, and so through the website's mental health resources (Self-Help Guides, Growth Path, and of course talking to listeners) were what shaped a lot of my current, more mature perspective on mental health, these things, and methods to deal with them. The most helpful thing has been the people on 7Cups, but the rest has also contributed positively to my life too.

So, in conclusion, 7Cups has made it much easier, emotionally and physically, to talk to people and gain perspective on my thoughts and problems. All of the site's mental health resources have guided and shaped my attitude towards mental health and many topics, such as anxiety (which I personally struggle with) and worry, in a positive and helpful way. I'm saying that I often had maladaptive or toxic beliefs about things before, and I still have these. But being on the site just subconsciously influences me to think about things in healthier ways (Not saying that this is necessarily a tangible benefit and that you should use the site in order to gain it, or something. I'm just reflecting on my personal experience with the site/how it influenced me personally.) And just having an emotional source of support around that says, everything will be okay, or something like that, it gives me some hope and stability in my life that everything WILL be okay and no matter what is happening in my life, I am not forsaken, I am still human and deserving of respect and empathy, I am not alone in my problems, and I am okay, my life is going to continue on and things will look up again. Well. This conclusion got a little out of hand so I'll restate the thesis sentence one last time. In conclusion, 7Cups has made it much easier, emotionally and physically, to talk to people and gain perspective on my thoughts and problems. It's been a positive influence and a source of hope and emotional support. I personally found it to be very helpful, and it's possible you will too.

As someone who has been a consistent listener on 7 Cups for quite some time now, I have experienced both the benefits and downsides of the site. While it has been fulfilling to offer support to individuals who are struggling with their mental health, I have found that seeking support on the site is not as helpful as I would have hoped.

In fact, there have been numerous occasions where I have felt unsupported by the community. It is disheartening to seek support on a mental health platform and end up being faced with additional mental health problems, which sadly has been my experience. The site has a considerable number of stalkers and individuals who purposely try to bait others, who aren't even allowed to be called trolls, which is concerning for personal safety. When users raise concerns regarding their safety, 7 Cups Admins are quick to dismiss their concerns, attributing it to the nature of the internet.

This sort of attitude disregards the fact that the site is supposed to be a safe space for individuals to work on their mental health. Furthermore, listeners, who are the primary support system on 7 Cups, are frequently banned without any notification or explanation when they complain about a user or situation. The Admins seem to display a great deal of favoritism, which betrays their stance against such behavior.

Another major issue with 7 Cups is the rampant presence of trolls, stalkers, and attention-seekers on the platform. The site's design fosters addiction, and users are repeatedly encouraged to collect badges and cheers rather than focusing on the needs of those seeking support. It is practically impossible to avoid individuals who joke about mental health issues, making up problems just for attention.

Participating in chat rooms doesn't offer solace but instead proves to be a distressing experience due to the presence of toxic individuals who have no consideration for others' mental health. New users who are not familiar with communication etiquette are especially vulnerable as they are often blocked from chats. Some moderators lack empathy and compassion, and they are quick to block others without thought.

Despite all these challenges, there are a few individuals who do listen well and genuinely care about helping others in the community. If you're looking for someone to talk to while not expecting much in return, then 7 Cups could be a place of solace. You may also find a few discussions that will catch your interest which can help with overcoming loneliness.

Overall, I believe that 7 Cups' administrators need to re-evaluate their priorities and address these issues immediately before any sustained damage is done. There must be more commitment from their end to uphold user safety, as well as a stronger stance against toxic behavior. This platform has excellent potential but needs to make significant improvements to realize it.

My experience with 7 Cups was extremely negative and I found the community to be quite toxic and filled with hate. I was disappointed to see that a large majority of listeners did not seem to have the ability to empathize with others and instead perpetuated ignorance, judgment and stupidity. It seems as though many of these listeners do not understand what it means to truly care about someone and how to provide effective support in times of need.

I identify as queer and was disturbed by the level of homophobia that was present on the site. There were times where I was called derogatory sexual names and even asked to commit suicide. One listener went as far as to tell me that I had HIV, while another expressed that if they had the power, they would put me in gas ovens like Hitler did for the Jews. It was incredibly hurtful and unsettling to be treated in such a manner and it is unacceptable that this behavior is being allowed and condoned on this platform.

There were also issues regarding ethnicity and beliefs that were heavily attacked. Members and even some listeners resorted to swearing, name-calling and harassment to express their bigotry. This kind of behavior is not only intolerable, but it also has the potential to cause a great deal of harm, especially to those who are vulnerable and struggling with mental health issues.

Furthermore, I found that many listeners did not adhere to the rules of the platform and were not properly trained to provide candid and helpful support to those who were seeking it. It was clear that many listeners were using this platform as an opportunity to hide behind anonymity and say whatever they pleased, without any regard for the impact it might have on others.

Lastly, I was appalled by the fact that it is incredibly easy to become a listener on this site, with no formal qualifications or training required. All you need is an email address and you are free to offer support to those who may be struggling with their mental health. This is a dangerous and irresponsible approach and can lead to serious consequences.

I implore anyone who is seeking support with their mental health to think twice before using this platform. The potential for harm is simply too great and it is clear that the admins of this site do not take the safety and well-being of their members seriously enough. This site is in dire need of stricter regulations from legal authorities and it has the potential to cause people to harm themselves. If you have the ability to do something to stop this madness, please do so. Your actions could save lives.

7 Cups marketing themselves as a platform for confidential and anonymous chats may seem appealing to some, but the reality of using the site is quite different. Many users have reported instances of the volunteer staff reading through their chats, which leaves them feeling violated and betrayed. These volunteers are not held under any agreement or formal policy, which means that anyone from the street can become a mentor with a simple process. This can lead to teenagers and inexperienced people reading through personal conversations, which is unacceptable.

Unfortunately, the quality control on the site leaves a lot to be desired. The quality checkers have been known to resort to tricking users into breaking rules, as they lack proper tools for checking contentious matters. Moreover, the site has allegedly weeded out the better listeners to make way for paid therapists. This means that the majority of listeners are of low quality, which negatively impacts the effectiveness of the chats.

One of the most concerning issues with 7 Cups is that user data is being sold to insurance companies. While the data collected does not include the contents of the chats, just timestamps, IPs, and keywords, it is still a breach of confidentiality. The fact that amateur volunteers read through chats compounds the issue, causing a lack of confidence in the site's confidentiality promise.

Regarding users, 7 Cups seems to lack proper security measures. Despite the site being a well-known platform for online counseling, there are pedophiles, hackers, trolls, and other users who exhibit abusive behavior. Many listeners have reported being harassed by such trolls or abusive users, and the site staff are seemingly passive in handling these complaints. Reporting abusive behavior doesn't seem to work either, as two people can conspire to falsely report and get a listener banned. Staff don't even take the time to investigate further, making it difficult for listeners to present their side of the story.

The volunteers themselves are under pressure, which leads to unqualified chats. Without proper supervision, the volunteers are not held to a high enough standard, which is evident in the poor quality of many of the chats. The site seems more interested in making money from selling user data than in providing quality counseling services.

Despite these shortcomings, there have been instances of users finding genuine help and support from a 7 Cups listener. But navigating the site can be challenging, and reaching out to someone who can help can be an arduous task. As always, it is best to approach this site with caution.

I'm sorry to hear about the negative experience you had as a listener on 7 Cups. It sounds like you encountered a lot of issues with the community aspect, particularly in the chat rooms. It's never fun to feel excluded or bullied, especially when all you're trying to do is offer support to those in need.

Additionally, it's disappointing to hear that the training wasn't helpful and focused too much on sounding like a robot. When people are reaching out for help, they need to feel heard and supported, not like they're talking to a program. It's great that you were able to offer personalized and empathetic advice to the people you spoke with, and it's a shame that 7 Cups didn't encourage that kind of approach.

It's especially concerning to hear that when you reached out for support as a member, you didn't receive the same level of care that you personally would have given. That disconnect between what's expected of listeners and what support members actually receive is a problem that should be addressed by the 7 Cups team.

Overall, it's clear that you didn't have a positive experience on the platform. I appreciate your honesty, and I hope that the 7 Cups team takes note of these issues in order to improve their service.

I recently tried out the website 7cups.com as I was seeking support with a relationship issue. Unfortunately, my experience with their listeners was not the best. As someone who has struggled with anxiety and depression, I just needed someone to talk to and be there for me during this difficult time. However, I found that many of the listeners I connected with were not responsive at all, which left me feeling even more alone and sad.

One listener I spoke with claimed to be a woman, but I later found out was actually a man from India. They asked me some inappropriate personal questions, which went against the guidelines of the website. Another listener was very difficult to converse with, as they clearly had poor grammar and language skills. They also did not seem emotionally capable of having a meaningful conversation or providing any sort of helpful support. I was extremely disappointed and felt discouraged to continue.

I kept pushing forward and eventually came across a listener who was fairly intelligent and able to hold a conversation with me. While they were not really able to provide any concrete solutions or advice for my issue, I did feel slightly better just being able to vent to someone. However, even this listener had their own issues and seemed to be juggling multiple chats at once.

Overall, I found that the website was not helpful in providing any real support for my mental health struggles. It was clear that the majority of the listeners were just volunteers and not actually trained professionals. It was also very disappointing to hear that some of them viewed the website as a dating platform rather than a place to support those in need. I would urge anyone seeking help with mental health issues to seek out a licensed therapist instead of relying on this website.

The review of 7 Cups (7cups.com) is a passionately negative one, and it suggests that the platform and its listeners are terrible and uncaring. The reviewer was disappointed with the platform and believed that the listeners were not interested in providing any real help. In their experience, they found that many listeners provided only minimal responses and almost never responded back.

The reviewer also claimed that the listeners were fake and that they pretended to care when they didn't. They believed that the listeners had fake profiles, and many of them lied about wanting to help. Additionally, the reviewer claimed that all listeners had fake reviews and ratings, which showed that they were not real people.

Furthermore, the reviewer claimed that all the listeners were narcissistic and had no interest in helping people. They described the listeners as lazy, rude, ignorant, and downright stupid. They also claimed that most of the listeners were catfishing online and pretending to be someone they were not. According to the reviewer, the listeners showed no effort in helping people and were only interested in mentally hurting others.

According to the reviewer, 7 Cups did not seem to care about the issue of uncaring listeners. They believed that the platform provided terrible customer service, and they found the responses to their complaints generic and unhelpful. They also accused 7 Cups of lying about following up on reports of rude behavior, saying that none of the listeners they had reported had been banned.

Finally, the reviewer provided a list of listeners they claimed should be permanently banned from the platform. They accused these listeners of violating community guidelines and terms of service and of being rude, judgmental, and uncaring. The review also contained strong language and insults directed at the listeners in question.

While the review provides a passionate critique of the platform and listeners, it is worth noting that it is based on the reviewer's personal experience and may not reflect the views of all users.

As a concerned member and volunteer of 7 Cups (7cups.com), I would like to share my honest review of the website. Firstly, I must warn potential users that the site is not safe for vulnerable individuals, particularly teenagers and survivors of trauma. The lack of guarantee for the protection of human rights is a major concern. Additionally, the possibility of becoming re-traumatized is high for those seeking support on the site.

If you are considering becoming a member of 7 Cups, I advise you to stay away from the site due to the high presence of sexual predators and pedophiles. Even as a survivor myself, I have experienced sexual harm multiple times on the website through people who would often return under different usernames. The site's safety patrol is reactive, and the administration does not do enough to prevent these incidents from happening. I have also noticed that there are a vast number of individuals who join the site with ill intentions, including specific targeting and abuse of those living with Dissociative Identity Disorder, a concerning fact for any potential users to note.

Aside from the safety concerns, the quality of listeners on the site is questionable. While it is clear that the site provides training for listeners, many lack professional ethics and do not understand the importance of separating their own interests and emotions from the conversation. Harmful advice and comments from listeners are not uncommon, with some listeners showing more interest in giving advice than actual support. On the contrary, some listeners derive pleasure from trolling and inflicting emotional pain on users. The lack of active moderation from healthcare professionals has resulted in a culture based more on survivor support, where most are open to support but lack the healing capacity necessary.

For those considering becoming a volunteer listener on 7 Cups, I must warn you of my experiences. Your voice is often unheard and falls only into the hands of the administrators, who are not accountable to create safe working conditions, nor are your concerns taken seriously. For your safety, I would advise you not to speak up or raise awareness about safety issues openly as that can lead to being banned without a warning. There's also the concern that your time and effort will be exploited to enrich the owners financially, and there are a lot of scammers active on the platform. False accusations against listener volunteers are common and the lack of safety mechanisms means there's no way to defend oneself against these allegations.

In conclusion, I would warn anyone considering using the 7 Cups website that the presence of sexual predators, the questionable ethics of listeners, lack of active moderation by healthcare professionals, and lack of safety measures make it difficult to recommend the site. There are much better, safer, and more fulfilling volunteering options elsewhere. I implore anyone to consider contributing to their communities through any of the other excellent options available. Safety and support is paramount in these communities, and that cannot be said for 7 Cups.

7 Cups is an online counseling platform where anonymous members can chat with anonymous listeners, and while it has great potential, it is mismanaged. One of the biggest concerns is the existence of cyber predators on the site, as with most websites. Several members have reported being harassed by chats that insist they engage in inappropriate behavior, such as sharing nudes and engaging in sexual acts. Listeners on the site are not subject to background checks, which could easily lead to improper behavior from some listeners.

The admins at 7 Cups appear to be indifferent to this issue, refusing to acknowledge it or take any action against it. They delete forum posts and impose sanctions against accounts that try to bring attention to the issue. Rather than arming the community against predators, the leaders prefer to keep the community calm and vulnerable to predators.

Listeners who try to provide feedback are also subject to disciplinary action, with posts being deleted and accounts receiving behavioral points against them. The moderators use the blanket reasoning that feedback is unsupportive, even if it might be helpful to the community.

The volunteer listeners are also part of the problem. They form cliques and are condescending towards less experienced listeners. The admin's treatment of the volunteer listeners is also less than desirable, with long-term volunteers being asked to leave positive reviews on websites like Trustpilot, where they have low scores. This campaign is designed to drown out negative reviews, and it appears to work, as the number of reviews increased dramatically during the campaign.

Overall, 7 Cups has some serious issues that need to be addressed. The site needs to take more action against cyber predators, and the admins need to be more open to feedback from listeners and members. Additionally, they need to treat their volunteer listeners with more respect and stop asking them to drown out negative reviews.

I will review this website from two points of view. It is not safe! Neither for teenagers nor for vulnerable adults (I belong to the second category); even if you're merely a volunteer there is no guarantee that your human rights will be protected. If you're a survivor of sexual abuse or major trauma in life, you will get re-traumatized here with a probability of 100%.

========== IF YOU'RE A MEMBER ==========

1) The site is full of SEXUAL PREDATORS & PEDOPHILES. For your own sake, stay away and don't trust anyone there! And keep your children away from this place! I have been hurt sexually on that site numerous times, sometimes by the very same person who did it before and later came under a different username using VPN. The site owners don't do anything to ensure safety, outside of the vague reminders of "never going offsite" and "keeping your boundaries". The blocking/banning is a reactive, not a preventive measure, so it accomplishes nothing. The safety patrol is also reactive. The admins do nothing and the owners' policy is to hide their heads in the sand like ostriches. They don't want us to know the truth about how real teenagers were hurt on 7cups ( see the article here: http://news.butlerbusinessmatters.com/article/***/NEWS20/***/0/focus2013). The grooming can happen either by adults pretending to be teenagers and lurking in the member teen side chat ( since no one actually controls the real age of whoever subscribes to the services...) or by adults pretending to be caring listeners for survivors of trauma. The survivors then slowly develop trust to that person and once they swallow the bait, getting them offsite becomes very easy.

As a person who lives with Dissociative Identity Disorder, I have to admit there is a whole niche of sexual predators who specialize precisely on this disorder and attack victims on this site. So double warning if you have DID or OSDD!

At some point, I decided to be a "bait" for one specific BDSM predator who kept returning to the site again and again under generic nicknames and just crafted new chat scenarios simply because I badly wanted him to be banned and reported. The admins banned him again and again but guess what? He still is there somewhere. No further measures are taken against this.

2) Leaving the predators aside, if only you knew how bad the quality of listeners on 7cups is. Quality mentoring or training doesn't actually teach people professional ethics (and it is one of the main areas to be taught, seriously!), and you end up with people who may be genuinely trying to support you but end up hurting you because they don't know about how to keep their own interest/emotions away from the chat. These people may swear that they care for you but end up traumatizing you severely when they don't agree with your choices in life because they don't understand the concept of giving people agency and freedom of choice. Some listeners, on the contrary, have no desire whatsoever to support you at all and are interested in merely giving advice ( which is harmful and is warned against in the entrance training but seldom followed by actual users). It's a perfect platform for those who want to taste the sweet fruit of having authority... without doing the actual work to deserve this right for being an authority.

3) Some listeners come on the site just to troll you and cause you pain on purpose. Be prepared that nothing protects you from being told to commit suicide by a random person who you just vented to. It happened to me a few times.

4) There are listeners who block you for the sake of keeping their review score clean & 5-star. As soon as they sense that you're not content about something, you're blocked and left with one more wound.

5) There is little to no professional monitoring of the whole 7cups environment. If anything, this is more of a survivor hangout place than an actual emotional support website. The whole culture is based on urging members to also offer their support to the world, which is not a bad thing in general but only if the people who are members are fully aware that the listeners may not be healed at all and their experience/advice comes from the point of suffering and should be taken with a grain of salt. Nothing this site offers can substitute a real-life support circle, and this peer support also drains members' energy resources and time that could be spent on other ways of self-care. If there was actual ACTIVE moderation from real healthcare workers (not just one therapist assigned to one sub-community) this site would have a much healthier culture.

======== IF YOU'RE A LISTENER =========

1) Your voice as a volunteer is not heard and means nothing. You have absolutely no influence on how the site is run (even if you're in the leadership/mentor role), and if you express your concerns to admins OR post something in the forums to raise awareness of, for example, safety issues and SEXUAL ABUSE HAPPENING on the site, be prepared to be banned without a warning. Just because you spoke up. So this means that if you remain a listener on 7cups, you give your silent approval of the things that happen there (see the section above). This causes lots of ethicals dilemmas. I solved mine by willingly removing myself from that place and searching for other volunteering options elsewhere.

2) This site uses your time and human compassion to get profit. This is not a charity. The money goes to the owners. As a listener, you're being exploited and your time & effort is being converted into $$$ for someone else.

3) Some members are scammers. While listeners are encouraged to believe the members and it's, in general, a good idea, I haven't seen another place with such an abundance of scammers lurking. They steal your time and, in my case, also money.

4) Nothing protects you from being badmouthed and framed and banned without any evidence or investigation. There is gonna be no proof and no way to defend yourself against false accusations. Because the site system doesn't include any safety mechanisms, the whole process of monitoring quality is based on rumors, telltales and triangulation. A funny thing is that the site claims that they don't tolerate this kind of behavior on their grounds, while in reality, it's at its core.

5) Lots of times I was attacked by members and told to go commit suicide, despite being a major and very experienced listener there. "Become an online volunteer listener. You have the power to change lives." A-ha, sure. Think of what the effect of hearing such words can have on the people who themselves are on the recovery journey?

6) There are millions of ways in which you, as a person with a desire to change the world for the better, can contribute. Local charities. Writing letters to depressed people. Volunteering at a pet shelter. Joining a recovery group. Visiting children from poor families as a support worker & mentor, with monthly supervision. This site is not the only place out there that you can use to show the world how much you care. And not the only place where you can get an internship. It's just the most marketed one.

Best regards & really, REALLY, stay away!
Tali.

1/21/2021 Update: 7 Cups suspended my Listener account within 24 hours of posting this review. (Clarification: In my video, I say my account was "deleted," but the Admins portrayed this as a 3-month suspension. However, I would have to be approved by the Admins [who have made numerous efforts to silence me] to reenter the community, hence why I see this as a deletion). If you needed any more evidence of them silencing those who stand up for the victims of sexual harassment on the site, this is it. 7 Cups claims they took this action after I "behaved in unconstructive ways" (Email from 7 Cups Account Reviews), behavior which seems to include me leaving this review about them after they took down one of my (unrelated) forum posts and imposed sanctions against my account because it allegedly violated the Community Guidelines. However, I feel this was really just an attempt to silence me because they are afraid of the truth getting out: that would mean they would have to take bigger steps to confront the sexual harassment issue. After all, I have been receiving passive-aggressive messages from 7 Cups Admins every few days after my post about sexual harassment was taken down on 1/5/2021.

7 Cups is a site where anonymous Members can chat with anonymous Listeners online. The criteria for becoming a Listener is to complete brief training on active listening (It took less than an hour for me). No background checks are required for Listener status except for adult listeners who apply to be allowed to speak with members under 18. While this requires a background check, one could easily fake his or her birthdate to bypass this. The summary of my experience is that this site/app has great potential but is mismanaged.

My biggest concern is that there are cyber predators on this website, as with most websites. I personally have been subjected to a Member insisting that I go into detail about my masturbation habits after I had said 'No' multiple times. Another all but begged me to tell her that I am sexually attracted to my mother and to make fake fantasies about that with her (Note: I am not!). Based on what I have heard, I was lucky. In the chatrooms, I saw countless Members complaining about Listeners insisting for them to send nudes and chat off-site. I met one Listener who told me that a Member hacked into her computer and located her. He proceeded to send her her own address, threatening her life if she did not send nudes.

These are things that could happen anywhere on the Internet: we all know it is a dangerous place. The issue is that many Admins refuse to acknowledge this. When I made a PG post in the forums (which could only be seen by adults) about this very issue and how we should prevent it, it was removed 8 hours later. When I asked about it, I was told by a higher-up that my post was not constructive and could potentially scare Users away. In other words, many leaders of 7 Cups would rather keep everyone calm, ignorant, and (consequently) vulnerable than arm the community against predators. 7 Cups leadership seems to view their adult Members as even less able to handle upsetting yet important concepts than children. After all, I doubt the Admins and other higher-ups behind removing my post would even hesitate to explain to a small child why not to take candy from strangers.

In addition, they punish Listeners for providing feedback on the site on the basis that it is "Unconstructive." If you make a feedback post, there is a good chance it will be deleted, and you will likely receive behavioral points against your account on the basis that it is 'unsupportive.' While the idea behind this rule is to prevent people from insulting others on the site, it has become a blank check for forum moderators to delete whatever constructive criticism they would like because feedback is always unsupportive of the way things are being done. This is not somewhere where you are allowed to say much of anything, even if what you are writing is helpful for the community and for the site. This is funny, as they market themselves as somewhere people can freely vent and get things off their chest. I understand that they have every right to delete what they please (legally speaking), but what irks me the most is the way they have created these forum post guidelines that are basically used to pretend they do not just delete whatever they please, whether or not it actually violates these guidelines. If they wish to continue like this, I wish they would just delete the forum guidelines and say, ?We reserve the right to delete posts as we see fit,' as that would at least be honest.

Beyond the forums, volunteer Listeners are mistreated. As a Listener, you will be subjected to cliques of Listeners who will patronize you in every word they write. You will receive a similar experience when talking to most Admins. At least there, you can feel like it is slightly more warranted? Each role you take on requires you to complete monthly tasks. If you do not, they will no longer allow you to help the site in this way. This overloads dedicated volunteers, encouraging a small percentage of Listeners to do the majority of the leadership work, and it comes across as ungrateful for all the work they do.

Finally, they beg long-term volunteer Listeners to leave them positive reviews on websites including this one and Trustpilot. I understand asking users for reviews is relatively common, but the way they deliberately focus their efforts on long-term Listeners is troubling. After all, who is more likely to give them five stars: someone who has been volunteering for them for a long period of time or any random user of the site? I have personally experienced the disproportionate number of times they ask long-term Listeners for reviews: I received one message from an Admin through a 7 Cups 1-on-1 chat, two emails (an original and a follow-up after I didn't reply), and countless notifications popping up during chats with Members. On my Member account, I never received any personal communication asking for reviews, only the notifications during chats and the occasional general reminder that went out to all users. In addition, they asked for reviews on specific sites where they had low scores, not just "Rate us in the app store!" A lot of evidence supports the theory that this was a deliberate campaign to drown out negative reviews. I'm not sure if it is unethical, but it is certainly a shade of gray, and I would much rather see them read the negative views and work to improve, rather than asking those loyal to them to write positive ones. This also makes their average star ratings on review sites like this one extremely biased in their favor, as this number is intended to represent the satisfaction of the average user of a product, not the satisfaction of the average person who has regularly used the product for a long time. Most people would not keep logging onto 7 Cups over months or years if they did not like it, and 7 Cups knows this. In addition, they requested for negative feedback to be posted in a Google forum and/or on a feedback thread on-site, where it would typically be deleted. Basically, they used questionable (I'll let you judge the ethics of it for yourselves) methods to drown out lower ratings, as you can see by how their rating on this site quickly climbed about two years ago (see ratings trends in the overview on this page).

Here is the mathematical explanation for the claims listed above, if you are interested:

As we can see, they had 1.88 stars at the beginning of 2019, but they more than doubled their score to 4.23 stars by the onset of 2020. We also see that the number of reviews has followed a similar trend, jumping from 23 reviews in 2019 to 210 reviews in 2020. Conveniently, only 15 reviews were accrued during the year 2020 (after they already had 4.23 stars). In other words, they received an 813% increase in reviews and a 125% increase in their star rating between 2019 and 2020. Then, their number of reviews on this site only increased by 7.1% during the year 2020. This really makes it look like they saw a bad score, deployed their Listeners to write good reviews to drown out the bad ones, and then stopped their efforts once their score was high in 2020.

7 Cups is a website that provides anonymous emotional support to those who are struggling in life. While the intention behind the platform is good, there are mixed reviews about the quality of support provided. As a listener, one reviewer expressed that the guidelines provided by 7 Cups can make a listener appear robotic and insincere. The website advises listeners to respond to a user's messages with "I understand" and to summarize the user's messages. This reviewer found this approach unhelpful and detrimental to a listener's ability to show empathy. They suggest that instead, listeners should let their instincts guide them and respond with kindness. However, the reviewer also noted frustration with the lack of reliable systems in place to prevent users from abusing the platform. They pointed out that many users will seek out listeners to discuss sexual topics, and 7 Cups prohibits listeners from banning these users or risk being banned themselves.

As a member seeking support, one reviewer expressed disappointment with their experience. They noted that despite being paired with listeners who claimed to have personal experience with anxiety, the listeners were unable to provide any valuable advice or support. This reviewer's experience highlights the need for a more reliable system for vetting and training listeners on the platform.

In summary, while 7 Cups provides a valuable resource for those seeking emotional support, the lack of consistent and reliable quality of support should be taken into consideration. Users should be aware of potential misuse of the platform and may need to be prepared to sift through listeners before finding someone who can genuinely offer support.

As a former listener and teen quality star at 7cups, I have some mixed feelings about this platform. On one hand, I found it incredibly rewarding to help others through their struggles and provide an empathetic ear. However, my experience with the leadership team was less than ideal.

After a year of being a listener, I aged up to become an adult and was hoping to become a quality mentor. While an ambassador had said it was possible, the team leader ultimately denied me due to concerns about my attitude. I found this frustrating, particularly given the lack of transparency around the decision-making process.

I also had concerns about the effectiveness of the training provided for listeners, which I found to be quite simplistic. Additionally, there were some serious issues with the platform's policies regarding account creation and background checks. It was all too easy for someone to create multiple accounts, including those intended for teens, without undergoing any kind of verification.

Despite my misgivings, I do believe that 7cups has the potential to be a valuable resource for those in need of emotional support. However, significant improvements need to be made in order to ensure the safety and well-being of all users.

After utilizing 7 Cups for the past few weeks, my personal experience has been quite positive. The site has proven to offer helpful resources and individuals who have offered kind and compassionate guidance during a difficult emotional situation. However, I can't help but notice the potential dangers of untrained anonymous volunteers and the profit-driven model prioritizing engagement over safety. It's concerning to see individuals struggling with emotional and mental health being left vulnerable to predation or dangerous interference while opening up about their problems.

Given my knowledge and understanding of websites such as 7 Cups, I'm grateful for not falling victim to any danger. However, I can undoubtedly see how younger, more vulnerable users could find themselves in dangerous situations through the site. Despite the existing risks, I have found the resources to be helpful in my healing process. The regular communication with my listener has been uplifting, and being a part of group chats has allowed for compassion and support with other individuals.

Although the community of individuals volunteering their time to help others seems kind and genuine, it's evident that the site exists to extract data from vulnerable people and push them towards for-profit text therapy. The blurring of profit and community strikes me as unethical, and the number of heartfelt negative reviews that exist only confirms my skepticism of the site's motivations.

Overall, I think using 7 Cups with caution can potentially provide some benefits, but individuals should remain vigilant of the potential risks. I genuinely hope that the site administrators take the advice of long-term volunteers and implement much-needed safeguards to protect users from harm.

I have been a part of the 7 Cups community for over five years, and during that time, I have tried my best to help as many people as possible. While I have received positive feedback from members about my work, it is unfortunate that I have seen a lot happening within the platform that needs to be addressed.

Firstly, I have witnessed instances where community leaders have made insensitive jokes about suicide, and moderators have not taken any action despite being informed. Furthermore, important bug reports have been ignored, which can be frustrating for both members and listeners.

As a member myself, I have also received negative treatment from listeners when I tried to reach out. Despite raising the issue to higher authorities, no action was taken to address the problem. Additionally, some of my posts in the forum were deleted, and moderators wrongly suggested discussing these privately, rather than within the community. This behavior is unacceptable, as an open community platform should encourage free and open discussion.

There is also a disturbing cult-like system among some members, who upvote each other's posts and submit fake positive reviews. Such behavior can misrepresent the real views of the community, and such practices should not be tolerated. Furthermore, some listeners have made inappropriate comments such as "Just kill yourself already," which is appalling and should be dealt with immediately.

There are serious reporting issues within the platform where members who are being abused are blocked, making it difficult for them to report the issue to higher authorities. I have reported such cases, but no action has been taken. In addition, numerous bug reports have been made, but none have been fixed, which is a sign of technical negligence.

Another issue that I have encountered is where certain features have been removed with no explanation given to the members. This is unethical and makes the platform unreliable.

Lastly, I cannot help but mention one incident where a member almost died due to the platform's actions. Such consequences should never happen in the first place, and immediate action should be taken to prevent them in the future.

In conclusion, while 7 Cups has the potential to be a supportive community platform for people struggling with mental health issues, there are many issues that need to be addressed. More attention needs to be given to ensure that the platform is conducive to a safe and supportive environment for everyone.

When you first visit 7 Cups, it's clear that this online space is meant to serve as a support network for individuals seeking to share their problems with a listening ear. Moreover, the site prides itself on its cost-free nature, meaning that there's an opportunity for pretty much anyone to engage with the platform. Additionally, the site has a levels system which could potentially mean more job opportunities for listeners in the future.

However, as with any online forum or community, there are some concerns that need to be raised. Firstly, there's the issue of the reporting system, specifically how it can be manipulated easily. On several occasions, we've had individuals report us - not because we've done something objectively wrong - but because they're upset or they disagree with something we've said. Unfortunately, the decision-makers who look at these reports seem to not take any time to examine the evidence in order to come to a fair conclusion. As such, we've found ourselves banned more than once. And, even when we've sent appeals, we've had to do so repeatedly before finally getting our listener status reinstated. It's frustrating, to say the least, especially since a lot of effort goes into increasing one's listener level.

Another qualm we have with 7 Cups is the overly restrictive rules around conversation, and the way members use them in order to silence those who have differing opinions. While we understand that many who come to the site are sensitive and are likely struggling with mental health issues or abusive situations, the tight restrictions in place make it difficult to engage in conversations that are fulfilling or productive. And, when someone does voice an opinion that goes against the grain - on politics, religion, or science, for example - they risk the possibility of being attacked by moderators or other members who claim that the conversation is "triggering". This is disheartening, as this kind of closed-mindedness inhibits true growth and understanding.

In the end, while we think that 7 Cups is essentially a good idea, we feel that some of their policies and enforcement methods are simply too restrictive and too easily abused. If you're just looking for an opportunity to chat one-on-one with someone, then it's not a bad place to be. However, if you're seeking a forum where you can speak freely and feel like your input and opinions are valued, you might want to look elsewhere.