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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: Styx: EVERYBODY READ: Policy change
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Erin
Meaner than Godzilla
# 2
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Posted
As some of you old-timers may have noticed, I've been much less active than usual lately. This is due to the giant time sink that is the Ark. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif) (And if you haven't been watching it, give it a shot -- it has been a total blast.)
Anyway, the fact that I haven't been posting frequently does not indicate that I haven't been reading the threads. I have, and I've noticed some things. There are a few threads sprinkled in Heaven, Hell and All Saints which concern me -- they seem to be indicating a greater reliance on the Ship than is healthy or wise. This bothers me on two fronts: first, it opens up all sorts of potential legal problems for us; and second, the Ship (or any bulletin board, really) is not an adequate stand-in for counseling services.
I'll get the legal stuff out of the way first: Ship of Fools is in no way intended as a support or self-help site. We are a debate board, given to discussion of various theological, ethical, political, social, etc. dilemmas that people wrestle with every day. That we have boards dedicated to the community and other, more light-hearted pursuits is testimony to the friendships that have arisen from the interactions here, and that is entirely down to y'all. However, the editors, administrators and hosts of the Ship must draw a line as to what "services" we offer. The line is this: the Ship is in no way to be used as a substitute for counseling services -- be they legal, medical, psychological, psychiatric or spiritual. Posts which seek to elicit such responses are very strongly discouraged, and repeated posts along those lines will be deleted.
Now, to the second part. No matter how much we care, interactions on an electronic bulletin board are wholly inadequate to accomplish significant psychological recovery. Because this is sometimes difficult to see, we are instituting a policy: effective immediately, Ship of Fools' bulletin boards are neither appropriate nor adequate venues for suicidal ideations. Do not waste precious time by posting here -- if you suspect that your feelings of hopelessness or despair are more than just a reaction to a difficult time in your life or normal spiritual angst, or you think about suicide, then you need professional help, immediately, and you can't get that here.
The Ship is not the place to post those feelings, not only for the aforementioned legal reasons, but also because this is a bulletin board with open, unfettered access. The boards alone average over a million hits each month. We are concerned that not only are people using the Ship to substitute for counseling, but also that those who post along those lines make themselves open and vulnerable to others who perhaps do not have your best interests at heart.
We want to see all of you happy and healthy, and it is our responsibility to recognize the limitations of this medium. If you have general questions about this policy, post them here. If you have specific questions relating to yourself or others, send an e-mail or PM to me or one of the other administrators.
Thanks,
Erin
Community Editor
[ 03. January 2012, 20:29: Message edited by: Tubbs ]
Posts: 17140 | From: 330 miles north of paradise | Registered: Mar 2001
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Arrietty
Ship's borrower
# 45
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Posted
Erin
That sounds very sensible.
As a matter of information, if someone who has not read this or doesn't understand/ignores the policy makes such a post in future, will it be deleted?
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i-church
Online Mission and Ministry
Posts: 6634 | From: Coventry, UK | Registered: May 2001
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marmot
Mountain mammal
# 479
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Posted
Thank goodness! Every time something like that comes up, I want to scream " It isn't that we don't care, we just can't help you the way you need to be helped!" Ask me to pray, I will, but I really worry about the ones who have expectations of rescue in a virtual environment.
Thanks, Erin.
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Join me in "The Legion of Bad Monkeys"
Posts: 2754 | From: The land of Saint Damien | Registered: Jun 2001
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Erin
Meaner than Godzilla
# 2
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Posted
Arrietty, an administrator will contact that person and suggest alternative, more appropriate resources.
[ 18. May 2003, 17:08: Message edited by: Erin ]
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Commandment number one: shut the hell up.
Posts: 17140 | From: 330 miles north of paradise | Registered: Mar 2001
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JimT
Ship'th Mythtic
# 142
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Posted
I am greatly relieved by this policy. I've seen the trend to which Erin has referred and have waffled between simply giving my own positive experience as encouragement and offering personal opinions about what therapy can and can not do. I will be happy to do less of both in the future.
When I see someone who definitely needs professional help on board, it puts me in a terrible quandry. I want to say, "You need professional help," but of course in public or in private that is going to be humiliating. In the event that the person is not humiliated but glad that someone has taken an interest, I don't want to be drawn into, "Thanks, tell me more. Where do I get it? What should I look for? How do I choose? What should I talk about? You've read my posts."
There is no shame in seeking professional help. To me, it was the "pearl of great price." I sacrificed as much money and as much time as I needed and would have gladly given every penny I had and every second of my time to achieve a quiet, confident inner peace. We may have been built for conscious sacrifice in pursuit of higher goals, but we were not built for perpetual and unbearable suffering to the point that we yearn for death and release.
Posts: 2619 | From: Now On | Registered: May 2001
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Michèle
Bunny sister
# 1401
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Posted
Well done - much wisdom.
blessings
Pip
Posts: 944 | From: Dissertation Hell | Registered: Sep 2001
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
I agree with what Jim T said. This policy is sensible and much needed. We all need to let off steam from time to time, but when it isn't cathartic, or it looks like becoming a form of dependency, it's time to get help from someone who specializes in how to deal with it.
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dolphy
Lady of Perpetual Responsiblity
# 862
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Posted
Echoing Pip; Well said with much wisdom.
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Looking forward to my rock moving closer again.
Posts: 15134 | From: my camper van | Registered: Jul 2001
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Moth
Shipmate
# 2589
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Posted
Can I ask that this policy also be applied to the cafe? I have once or twice been in the situation where I felt almost unable to leave someone in the cafe because of their obvious 'neediness', but I am not a trained counsellor, and don't wish to counsel anyone online!
I don't mean by this that you can't say 'I need cheering up' in the cafe, but unwanted confidences that someone is suicidal are most unfair to other users. It puts us in an impossible situation.
Posts: 3446 | From: England | Registered: Apr 2002
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Nanny Ogg
Ship's cushion
# 1176
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Moth:
Can I ask that this policy also be applied to the cafe?
I agree that it is needed in the cafe, especially as other rooms in the cafe and private conversations have been used for "counselling"
Also, will there be control over the use of private messages to shipmates by anyone who should really be seeking professional help?
What would be the best way of dealing with any such PMs?
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Buy me a beer and I'm you friend forever
Posts: 4137 | From: Away with the fairies | Registered: Aug 2001
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Jen.
Godless Liberal
# 3131
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Posted
hi,
100% behind policy change. hope that everyone understands the reasoning behind it and doesn't give the admins flak for doing their jobs!
J
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Was Jenny Ann, but fancied being more minimal.
Posts: 5318 | From: Manchester, England | Registered: Aug 2002
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Stoo
Mighty Pirate
# 254
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Posted
Just for information, the web address for the Samaritans in the UK is www.samaritans.org, and the phone number is 08457 90 90 90 and 1850 60 90 90 for the Republic of Ireland.
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Posts: 5266 | From: the director of "Bikini Traffic School" | Registered: May 2001
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Caver
Shipmate
# 4392
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Posted
They can also be emailed from anywhere in the world at jo@samaritans.org and they will endeavour to reply within 24 hours.
Otherwise they are part of Befrienders International and the BI site has details of organisations in other parts of the world that are similar to the Samaritans.
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Quote from Annie Day "Could be interested, picking people up on the way down." Now that never happens to me underground :-(
Posts: 104 | From: Leeds, UK | Registered: Apr 2003
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Emma Louise
Storm in a teapot
# 3571
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Posted
Erin - the ark? whats that? ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Posts: 12719 | From: Enid Blyton territory. | Registered: Nov 2002
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Clyde
Shipmate
# 752
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Posted
A well thought out policy which makes good sense.
I certainly support it.
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I've not been on the ship for a long time. I'm very old now and don't like it when the sea gets rough.
Posts: 1279 | From: England. | Registered: Jul 2001
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nouwen
Shipmate
# 3103
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Stoo:
Just for information, the web address for the Samaritans in the UK is www.samaritans.org, and the phone number is 08457 90 90 90 and 1850 60 90 90 for the Republic of Ireland.
On reading Erins post I was in full agreement with it (well done hosts), but worried about how folk access support. Thanks Stoo for your post I urge people to make contact with the Samaritans if they need to speak to someone.
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Speaking the truth is not the same as being negative.
Posts: 477 | From: Oxford | Registered: Jul 2002
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Arrietty
Ship's borrower
# 45
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by The Wonderful Nanny Ogg:
quote:
Originally posted by Moth:
Can I ask that this policy also be applied to the cafe?
I agree that it is needed in the cafe, especially as other rooms in the cafe and private conversations have been used for "counselling"
Also, will there be control over the use of private messages to shipmates by anyone who should really be seeking professional help?
What would be the best way of dealing with any such PMs?
I am not an admin or host, so this is just my own opinion, but I would have thought the main concern is for messages which are posted and remain in view and for which SOF might therefore appear responsible.
PMs are private so I would imagine it is up to the recipient how to deal with it.
Maybe I'm just hard, but I tend to ignore posts which are asking for an intense emotional response.
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i-church
Online Mission and Ministry
Posts: 6634 | From: Coventry, UK | Registered: May 2001
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Erin
Meaner than Godzilla
# 2
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Posted
To follow up on that... in the US, suicide hotlines are always listed in the first few pages of the phone book (if you live in a city large enough that the white and yellow pages are split, it's in the white pages).
We fully appreciate that the Ship can be a help in bad times -- I remain eternally grateful for all of the support I had when I was going through my divorce. However, it was not my primary source of support -- I sought out a qualified therapist and went to her weekly for nearly a year, plus I routinely talked to my priest. The Ship absolutely positively cannot substitute for that kind of face-to-face, qualified counseling. I recognize that the community on the Ship is one of the best on the Internet, but there are limits to what we can do, and it's important that we all recognize that, rather than set up the vicious cycle of co-dependency. (I was there, too, it sucks.)
And I didn't even address what I had originally posted to address.
*sigh*
I would say that this does apply to the cafe as well. If someone comes into the cafe and says they are suicidal, then a simple "log off and contact a qualified healthcare professional NOW" message is sufficient. No one here is responsible for someone else's actions. I know this sounds harsh and cold, but I've done the co-dependency thing, and it took me the aforementioned year of therapy to realize that I can't take responsibility for another's failure to seek help. No matter how wonderful I think myself, I'm just not that good.
Same thing with PMs. We obviously can't police them, as we don't have access to them, but I would hope that people would understand that this is a Ship policy and therefore it is inappropriate to circumvent it using Ship resources.
[ 18. May 2003, 23:08: Message edited by: Erin ]
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Commandment number one: shut the hell up.
Posts: 17140 | From: 330 miles north of paradise | Registered: Mar 2001
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JoyfulNoise & Parrot OKief
Ship's pirate
# 2049
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Posted
Thanks for setting the perimiters so clearly.
A well thought out policy which makes good sense.
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Written from my alternative universe.
Posts: 1101 | From: East Anglia in the UK | Registered: Dec 2001
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Chorister
Completely Frocked
# 473
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Posted
I am glad this issue has been addressed - there is a tremendous feeling of helplessness due to the anonymity of posters in distress and also a feeling of responsibility in wondering if you have done or said the right thing.
PMs are a problem - I have wondered whether to contact the Ship admins when this has happened, but decided they have enough on their plate and couldn't help much more than me anyway.
But also hope the people who need help and are reading this thread realise that Shipmates do care and are not rejecting them through this policy - just trying to ensure that the channels of help are appropriate ones. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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Retired, sitting back and watching others for a change.
Posts: 34626 | From: Cream Tealand | Registered: Jun 2001
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chukovsky
Ship's toddler
# 116
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Posted
This sounds like a very sensible thing to do.
For clarification: There are qualified mental health professionals on the Ship (of which I am not one) and I have got the feeling in the past that they may feel even more "obliged" to interact with people in such mental states (a sort of "this person isn't my specific patient but I know what I'm doing and I feel responsible" type thing). I am just wondering if they might benefit from specific absolution of any responsibilities. Probably they are very sensible and grownup and don't need me to say anything, though!
Secondly: I have been in the situation where shipmates don't so much mention on the boards that they are currently feeling suicidal, as indicate on the boards or in PMs "things are really rough for me right now especially since my suicide attempt/period of major depression" and end up by asking for large favours (e.g. accommodation/transport/loan of money or goods) in a way that is not exactly manipulative, but does seem to suggest "if I hadn't been so down I would have been able to manage this myself".
I don't know quite how we should cope with this - it is not, as the situation Erin describes, an immediate request for counselling, in which someone hints their life depends on another, unqualified, shipmate, but it is a situation in which the targetted shipmate or group of shipmates might feel "this person getting home tonight/not sleeping on the streets might depend on my doing something for them, and they might be tipped over the edge mentally again", in a way that a simple "I'm in your area and wonder if you might have a bed for the night, no worries if not because I can always book into a B&B, I have been mega busy/had gastric flu and left it to the last minute!" does not put pressure on someone in quite the same way.
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Posts: 6842 | From: somewhere else | Registered: May 2001
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
I think the mental health professionals on board probably have much the same attitude as most of the rest of us - they're not here to post in a professional capacity. As for the PMs etc - it's necessary to draw a distinction between attention seeking/emotionally manipulative behaviour, and cases of genuine need which you may or may not want to get involved in at your own risk.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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chukovsky
Ship's toddler
# 116
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Posted
That's very true, Ariel, but it does leave us in a similar situation to previously: everyone being free to post their current problems, but "I'm feeling suicidal" trumping anything else and people's feeling of responsibility for someone else's life remaining in that circumstance.
I don't know, maybe it seems different in some way, but this has happened before and it did seem quite similar to the situation Erin is trying to avoid.
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Posts: 6842 | From: somewhere else | Registered: May 2001
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Royal Peculiar
Shipmate
# 3159
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Posted
And a related issue- that if you give too much away about yourself -or in one thread a third party who was having problems, you (or the person you're discussing) may be identified. It's so easy to forget tht as well as the regular posters there are many lurkers reading these boards.
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Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.
Oscar Wilde
Posts: 405 | From: Barking, London | Registered: Aug 2002
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ed_m
Shipmate
# 2025
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Erin:
To follow up on that... in the US, suicide hotlines are always listed in the first few pages of the phone book
are they listed under S too ?
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"Ahead groove factor 5! Yeah!"
Join the Ships shakespeare monkey Team today.
Posts: 543 | From: left a bit.. right a bit.. yes.. there | Registered: Dec 2001
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Moo
Ship's tough old bird
# 107
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Posted
quote from Erin quote:
To follow up on that... in the US, suicide hotlines are always listed in the first few pages of the phone book (if you live in a city large enough that the white and yellow pages are split, it's in the white pages).
Unfortunately, that's not true. When the Samaritans of South Central New Hampshire started up, we asked to be listed on the 'Help' pages. The phone company said that those pages were full. The Samaritans could be listed only if some organization already listed dropped out.
We took out a yellow page listing under 'Suicide Prevention', but that wasn't nearly as good. I just checked out the Befrienders International website using the link provided earlier on this thread. They do list the Samaritans of South Central New Hampshire.
I have copied down the Befrienders International web address, and I would advise other shipmates to do the same.
Moo
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Kerygmania host
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See you later, alligator.
Posts: 20365 | From: Alleghany Mountains of Virginia | Registered: May 2001
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Pyx_e
Quixotic Tilter
# 57
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Posted
Ed-m , I doubt it but I did look up " unfunny " under U are your name appeared.
P
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It is better to be Kind than right.
Posts: 9778 | From: The Dark Tower | Registered: May 2001
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Erin
Meaner than Godzilla
# 2
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Posted
Ed, if that was a joke, it was in very poor taste.
Moo, I wasn't referring specifically to the Samaritans, but a general local suicide hotline. I guess there are white pages that don't have it listed, but I have never seen one.
As to the other issues flagged up on this thread... we can't legislate everything. There will be instances where people will take advantage of that fact. My advice is to (a) remember that you are not responsible for others' actions and (b) respond accordingly.
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Commandment number one: shut the hell up.
Posts: 17140 | From: 330 miles north of paradise | Registered: Mar 2001
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dolphy
Lady of Perpetual Responsiblity
# 862
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Posted
Well said Pyx_e and Erin.
These are serious issues here and, in my humble opinion, not ones to be taken lightly. Even though we are all names and avatars, we are human beings, well most of us, and there are serious feelings involved here.
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Looking forward to my rock moving closer again.
Posts: 15134 | From: my camper van | Registered: Jul 2001
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sabine
Shipmate
# 3861
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Posted
In the US, many hospitals have "crisis hotlines" and many community mental health centers have them as well. They will be listed under "social services" and some sometimes under "Counseling and Social Services" in the yellow pages. But if all else fails, call the hospital for a referral to a hot line.
There is always a 911 option, as well, especially if one feels that the suicidal ideation is becoming uncontrollable.
As a former counselor, I feel that I can handle certain situations on the board or in the cafe (feelings of discouragement, having a rough couple of weeks, sudden crisis of faith, cartain temporary situational issues), but I didn't come here to continue my practice. I came for fun and spirited discussion (and may I add that I find this group to be a highly creative and intelligent bunch overall).
Several people have mentioned going through a Dark Night of the Soul for years or being depressed for a long time. Sometimes it's helpful to understand this about a person, but I agree with Erin--while happiness and health for all is the best possible situation, it can't be achieved by everyone in every case through Ship discussions.
New people post all the time and may not have an opportunity to read this thread. Those of us who have are in a position to gently remind them of the boundaries. It is possible to say (without being cruel) "I care but I can't provide the help you need and the Ship has a policy about on-line therapy, however, I will be praying for your situation" [use your own words].
It's also possible to pass along a tip or two to someone you feel could use it, while at the same time indicating that they follow up in real life.
Erin, appreciated your posting this reminder.
sabine
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"Hunger looks like the man that hunger is killing." Eduardo Galeano
Posts: 5887 | From: the US Heartland | Registered: Dec 2002
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Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by chukovsky:
That's very true, Ariel, but it does leave us in a similar situation to previously: everyone being free to post their current problems, but "I'm feeling suicidal" trumping anything else and people's feeling of responsibility for someone else's life remaining in that circumstance.
Call me cold and hard if you want, but when people post that they are feeling suicidal, I don't generally assume the worst. I tend to think that if they're completely certain they will do it, they're probably not going to post it on a bulletin board, in case anyone stops them. Posting is more likely to be a cry for help - and as such, should be directed to someone who is adequate to cope.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
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Moo
Ship's tough old bird
# 107
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Erin:
Moo, I wasn't referring specifically to the Samaritans, but a general local suicide hotline. I guess there are white pages that don't have it listed, but I have never seen one.
Those 'community pages' in the phone directory did not list any suicide hotlines or any type of crisis intervention.
They listed mental health services (which were not manned 24/7); they listed youth services, subsidized daycare providers, etc., but no place to turn in a serious emergency.
Sorry to harp about this, but it still infuriates me, especially since they could have reformatted the pages and put in more listings.
Moo
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Kerygmania host
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See you later, alligator.
Posts: 20365 | From: Alleghany Mountains of Virginia | Registered: May 2001
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Erin
Meaner than Godzilla
# 2
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Posted
Well yes, that is irritating in the extreme. Like I said, I have never seen a white pages that didn't have a 24 hour suicide hotline number printed in huge letters, so that's really surprising. And sucketh severely.
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Commandment number one: shut the hell up.
Posts: 17140 | From: 330 miles north of paradise | Registered: Mar 2001
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Moo
Ship's tough old bird
# 107
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Erin:
Like I said, I have never seen a white pages that didn't have a 24 hour suicide hotline number printed in huge letters, so that's really surprising. And sucketh severely.
That's why I'm holding on to the Befrienders web address. I may come across someone who needs it.
Moo
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Kerygmania host
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See you later, alligator.
Posts: 20365 | From: Alleghany Mountains of Virginia | Registered: May 2001
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Zipporah
Silent witness
# 3896
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Moo:
quote:
Originally posted by Erin:
Like I said, I have never seen a white pages that didn't have a 24 hour suicide hotline number printed in huge letters, so that's really surprising. And sucketh severely.
That's why I'm holding on to the Befrienders web address. I may come across someone who needs it.
Moo
Moo, good idea. I've now got it bookmarked for easy access.
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Back after a lengthy absence - it's been too long ...
A ship in port is safe, but that is not what ships are for. sail out to sea and do new things. Grace Hopper
Posts: 1792 | From: a world of my own | Registered: Jan 2003
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Benedictus
Shipmate
# 1215
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Posted
Verily, it sucketh indeed. But just to see what would happen, I googled the phrase "suicide hotline" and the first web site appears to have various local numbers for cities in every state, and a national number for the U.S. and for Canada. Also hotline numbers for other services, particularly for teens, in many areas.
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Resentment: Me drinking poison and expecting them to die
Posts: 1378 | From: Hertfordshire | Registered: Aug 2001
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Twilight
Puddleglum's sister
# 2832
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Posted
Erin quote quote:
it opens up all sorts of potential legal problems for us.
I'm wondering if we really need to fear this. I've never heard of anyone, even the professional sites like WebMD getting into any legal trouble because of online advice.
I think we might be overly concerned about just how expert our advice is. I've posted on other sites where suicidal messages would pop up from time to time and the poster would be given kind responses as well as the occasional "go ahead and get on with it then" posts and still these same people would come back a few weeks later when having another bad night. I think more than anything the posters just want to make human contact. There is no perfect thing to say, even the experts know that.
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I just pretended it was 2 o'clock in the morning and I was feeling suicidal and had just been told to "seek counselling." My phone book, like some others, had nothing in the front but police, fire, poison control and "Utilities protection service, call before you dig." I looked in the yellow pages under counselling and psychiatrists but got nothing. Now, I happen to know that there is a mental health crisis center in this town with a small staff that includes a semi-retired psychiatrist but it is listed under it's name which is something like; Allegheny Appalation- Shawnee County Mental Health Crisis Center. Only open 9-5 Mon thru Fri.
So I went to the Google site and typed in "Suicide" and after several clicks reached the Befrienders site already mentioned and the place where I could type in a message and get a reply in 24 hours. That's too long for many people, I would think.
I did find this number 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)
I think some people are afraid to call the hotlines for fear that a police person will show up at their door and they may not be ready for that. I also think that they fear the $200 per hour cost of a psychiatrist visit and should know that medicare will pay this cost and if they don't have medicare or insurance then the local clinics are usually very nice about adjusting costs to your income.
I would like to say to anyone who is feeling desparate, like hurting yourselves or someone else, very afraid or like you're "going crazy" that you can walk in any hospital or police station, day or night, and tell them just that. They will then call someone who specializes in mental health to come and help you. If you think you won't be able to say "I think I'm going to kill myself" you can always say "I feel like I can't breath" or some such thing. That will get you started through the system and the professionals can do the worrying for you from there.
I do hope that if the ship desides to go with a policy of turning people away who come to the board talking about mental health problems that the rejection will be worded very carefully. people in that state are very fragile.
Posts: 6817 | Registered: May 2002
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Erin
Meaner than Godzilla
# 2
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:
I do hope that if the ship desides to go with a policy of turning people away who come to the board talking about mental health problems that the rejection will be worded very carefully. people in that state are very fragile.
Now, I'm really curious how you got this out of my OP and subsequent messages.
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Commandment number one: shut the hell up.
Posts: 17140 | From: 330 miles north of paradise | Registered: Mar 2001
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sophs
Sardonic Angel
# 2296
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:
I do hope that if the ship desides to go with a policy of turning people away who come to the board talking about mental health problems that the rejection will be worded very carefully. people in that state are very fragile.
I don't think the ship is turning anyone away, just encouraging them to seek other help...
The policy makes sense
hugs,
sophs
(who went to the doctors yesterday )
Posts: 5407 | From: searching saharas of sorrow | Registered: Feb 2002
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Erin
Meaner than Godzilla
# 2
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Posted
Yay, sophs! I use this ONLY for you... ![[Yipee]](graemlins/spin.gif)
Don't tell anyone.
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Commandment number one: shut the hell up.
Posts: 17140 | From: 330 miles north of paradise | Registered: Mar 2001
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sophs
Sardonic Angel
# 2296
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Posted
![[Embarrassed]](icon_redface.gif) thanks...
but you weren't meant to pick up on that
Posts: 5407 | From: searching saharas of sorrow | Registered: Feb 2002
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Papio
Ship's baboon
# 4201
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Erin:
Yay, sophs! I use this ONLY for you...
Don't tell anyone.
Too late, we've all heard you Erin.
Sophs - That is brilliant. I am extremely please to hear that you have been to see a doctor.
Also pleased about the policy as it's not fair if people are faced with situations that they have no clue how to handle. Esp if they hardly know the person.
Ben26
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Infinite Penguins.
My "Readit, Swapit" page
My "LibraryThing" page
Posts: 12176 | From: a zoo in England. | Registered: Mar 2003
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Ann
Curious
# 94
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Posted
Well done sophs.
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Ann
Posts: 3271 | From: IO 91 PI | Registered: May 2001
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Twilight
Puddleglum's sister
# 2832
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Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Ben26:
Also pleased about the policy as it's not fair if people are faced with situations that they have no clue how to handle. Esp if they hardly know the person.
Ben26
What's unfair about it?
No one is forced to respond to these people if they don't want to or feel clueless about the subject. Those people who feel uncomfortable or who deal with these things in their professional lives don't have to read that particular thread. People come to these boards and talk about all sorts of problems including health problems. No one complained about the calling God to Hell thread or the problems expressed on it. Why is this different? I have no clue about some of the theological problems presented on this board but I don't complain that it's not fair to be faced with them.
I think your final line "especially if we hardly know the person" is probably the real issue here.
Erin quote: quote:
I don't think the ship is turning anyone away, just encouraging them to seek other help...
I don't see much difference and I think someone who is already feeling worthless and unloved is going to take that "encouragement to seek other help" as rejection.
Posts: 6817 | Registered: May 2002
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Og: Thread Killer
Ship's token CN Mennonite
# 3200
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Posted
From among the group on here from the "helping professions", a hearty thanks to Erin for the reminder and the policy change.
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I wish I was seeking justice loving mercy and walking humbly but... "Cease to lament for that thou canst not help, And study help for that which thou lament'st."
Posts: 5025 | From: Toronto | Registered: Aug 2002
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Adrienne
Shipmate
# 2334
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Posted
sophs - that's great news!
An interesting article in yesterday's Media Guardian about how the internet helps people cope with grief - particularly the comments from the Samaritans' spokeswoman about the email version of their helpline service.
A sympathetic modem
A
Posts: 977 | From: UK | Registered: Feb 2002
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sophs
Sardonic Angel
# 2296
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Posted
quote:
I don't see much difference and I think someone who is already feeling worthless and unloved is going to take that "encouragement to seek other help" as rejection.[/QB]
I don't think Erin was suggesting just telling people to go and seek other help and leaving them on their own...
In fact just look at how people have responded to me seeking proffessional help (which had nothing to do AT ALL with this thread or the policy change). I needed the encouragement (and nagging) to go and see the doctor, which i got from here. I think that is what Erin is suggesting rather than giving up on people completly...
Please correct me if i'm wrong someone...
Posts: 5407 | From: searching saharas of sorrow | Registered: Feb 2002
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duchess
Ship's Blue Blooded Lady
# 2764
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Posted
Sophs, years ago, been to the docs. Life just gets better and better...keep looking foward young one.
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♬♭ We're setting sail to the place on the map from which nobody has ever returned ♫♪♮
Ship of Fools-World Party
Posts: 11197 | From: Do you know the way? | Registered: May 2002
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