I will try to think more before I write from now on. Sorry if I have said anything too negative.
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Its not one specific person,
Its just the general vibe, you know?
So don’t apologize.
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yeah, I feel so sad that so many have been suicidal or delusional lately…
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Me too,
Some members are really struggling right now and I hate it.
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I think most of us on this forum are beautifully broken.
But perhaps we should all concentrate more on the ‘beauty’ part…and let the ‘broken’ aspect go on holiday for a spell!
I think that’s all @GoldenRex was getting at.
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Thanks for the backup, homie.
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I think that most of the people complaining about the negative attitude could stand to make more posts in the health and recovery section. We have been really trying to boost the signal over there lately, but very few members participate. If anyone wants to know how to make this place more positive, go over to health and recovery. Post about minor victories. Post when you’re in a good mood. When you see someone else post there, congratulate them.
But most folks ignore health and recovery, because it isn’t juicy or interesting enough.
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I’ve forgotten that’s even a section, seriously.
Solid advice, I’ll try to make some contributions there,
Maybe we can build up some traffic.
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I thought it was in my head. Its why i havent been on as much.
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Wait
.
.
.
What negativity?
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I want to say this and then I’ll be done.
To me, that was an intellectual failure. Excluding people doesn’t make the problem go away, it just makes it worse. Guys have to go off on their own sometimes, but that doesn’t help anyone else. Just like a father going out for a pack of cigs and never coming back. That leaves a mark and devastating consequences.
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I know I’ve contributed to the negative vibe lately, posting about my struggles, including when I was feeling very suicidal yesterday. I do try to post positive stuff when I can.
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I feel like I’m kind of cancerous on here I want to help people and overall be a positive thing. But my negativity always seems to come to the surface. I don’t mean to be so negative but I really have no way to vent in real life and lately my problems just seem to be piling up more and more. I’m sorry I’ll try to be more positive
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@freakonaleash, you have been such a positive influence and role model on this board. You are going through a rough patch now, and it sucks. But believe me, you are not a negative presence here. No one has a great time all the time, we know that.
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I agree with this. These folks could also try posting more in the School and Work section.
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I think that as a forum for people with severe mental illness this is to be expected. Personally I have a strong dislike for forums or communities that claim to be “100% recovery focused” meaning they want their forums to be a place of happy sunshine positivity and look how great everyone is doing despite their crippling symptoms and how strong everyone is for pushing forward and embracing each new day.
The reality is we are all going to have setbacks and we may have them often. The wonderful thing about this forum is that everyone has been through those setbacks so we can help to comfort those individuals currently facing them as well as hopefully help lead them through and provide them with resources or know-how as to how to improve circumstances. The reality-checking in this board is fantastic also. I have to say that the members on this board have definitely helped me think more critically about delusions I was falling into, giving me outside feedback so I could see it was just another trap made by my brain and step back.
I hate the attitudes around any kind of handicap, mental or physical, that tries to bury all the ugly. It can isolate other people and make them feel bad for their suffering, make them feel like they aren’t trying hard enough to recover or wondering what’s wrong with them to why they can’t seem to embrace positivity like everyone else. Social media is stifling enough with everyone only sharing the best parts of their life. I like the reality here.
I’d also like to add that no one HAS to read negative posts. You can click on only positive ones if that’s more your taste. I mean we have a whole recovery board on here. Anyone who wants to be focused on only positivity can literally just put on the filter so only recovery posts show up.
That’s my two cents.
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Really good post @Anna
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We are often chasing shadows and for me a little positivity can make a huge difference. I know it’s hard for most folk and I’ve been there myself but I think this site gets a decent mix of things which is great.
I think it becomes problematic when people challenge or don’t know the dynamic around here. I don’t fight anymore ( I’m a lover now ) but it isn’t good people getting off the pro medication thread. I started here in 1999 and it’s easy to see how those who take meds do better. Yes there’s the treatment resistant and we cater for them too. In simple terms pro medication works.
I’ve noticed after having a long break. ( what like over 5 years no idea) that certain things have changed. Back in the early noughties people complained about symptoms and needed relief. Using this site recently people complain about symptoms but can’t get passed the side effects. I think that is a dangerous change in recovery for those first starting out their journey.
Simply put. We cater for all kinds and that is great. Moving away from the pro medication model isn’t helpful and I support the moderators when it comes to it!
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I think it’s fine to be negative. The person you’re hurting the most by being overly negative is yourself, though, so trying to pull someone out of that state isn’t wrong, either. But it is wrong to demand that people commit to helping all the people here who need help. That doesn’t sit right with me. If you are dragged down by negative posts, it’s your right to avoid them. You don’t have to feel bad even if you never read a single one of them. And you don’t have to feel bad for posting them, either. Let’s all just try to be our best selves, and do what works for us. If all you can post one day is “go see your doctor”, that’s good enough.
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