A small Facebook group made to connect fans of Bristol punk band IDLES has grown into a huge support network for thousands of people. Over the past three years, "AF Gang" has grown to more than 30,000 members and become a judgment-free community where members can talk openly about their problems. If somebody posts about their struggles with their mental health or a difficult family situation, they can find dozens of members commenting to support them and offer advice. Jonathan Murray, from Liverpool, said the group practically saved his life. "I've struggled with my mental health for years," he said. "I've tried counseling and I'm on medication, but I still feel like I'm on my own and I've got no one to talk to. Rather than speaking down to me, it's like we were one big group. They tell you to just go with the flow and let it happen. The band's music and lyrics made me feel like I wasn't alone. Through the group, I met people going through the exact same." Idles formed in 2009. Their second album, Joy as an Act of Resistance, was released in 2018 as a rallying call for unity, covering topics including toxic masculinity and racism. Bass player Adam Devonshire called the AF Gang group "a wonderful thing." "It's started to open up a discussion and allow people to open up and show that it's OK to talk about your problems," he said. "A very large number of young males are told and conditioned not to open up and not to discuss things and there's a high suicide rate because of it. I hope it can be replicated in other places. It seems to have been a very positive change for a lot of people in the group."