The Internet. The need hasn't increased just there is longer have any friction for setting them up or joining/participating. Also no geography restrictions to participate.
In meatspace if you want to set up a support group you'd have to rent a space, then participants would have to physically drive there, and your hours would have to coincide with theirs. It's not really fesible for many support groups to form in this environment, especially outside major metros.
With the rise of the Internet, you don't have those restrictions, thus people can reach each other, so they do more reaching out to each other.
Possibly internet support has taken the place of friends and family support though.
In meatspace if you want to set up a support group you'd have to rent a space, then participants would have to physically drive there, and your hours would have to coincide with theirs. It's not really fesible for many support groups to form in this environment, especially outside major metros.
With the rise of the Internet, you don't have those restrictions, thus people can reach each other, so they do more reaching out to each other.
Possibly internet support has taken the place of friends and family support though.