Facebook may have brought about a major change in the definition of "friend", though as I've previously admitted I have minimal knowledge of that. But other platforms have also expanded our understanding of friendship, and not necessarily in negative ways. On the discussion forums of long ago people who'd never met face to face definitely developed friendships. Often, since what brought them together was a mutual interest in a particular topic it was easy for them to feel an initial rapport that continued to grow. But commonality isn't necessary for friendship. I've followed blogs of people totally different from me. These bloggers told about their lives in such a manner that I felt close to them, even though their worldviews were highly contradictory to mine. These bloggers didn't know I was following them, but that didn't stop me from feeling that they had become friends of mine. This perhaps explains why I could understand the patient in the episode. She didn't feel that she was turning to strangers and asking their advice. She felt an emotional relationship with her readership that made including them into her circle of decision making quite logical.