Hi Sleepy

Your story is so powerful.

Thank you for sharing your struggles and achievements with so much honesty. I admire your courage and I trust your story will inspire others dealing with a similar condition.

You should be so proud of yourself to have come so far, against such a terrible backdrop of childhood pain and trauma. My eyes are welling with tears just thinking about it.

And thank you so much for sharing your insights about personality disorders. I feel I have learned a lot that will help me to be a better member of this community and the big wide world.

I feel so sad about the stigma you face. If I could, this would be the moment I would give you a hug and have a little cry with you. The world just isn’t fair.

But please know and believe in your heart that this forum is different. You are welcome here and valued here, just the way you are.

Kind thoughts to you

Hi Sleepy & everyone,

On one hand, I can appreciate how much value there is in having specific Sections & Threads dealing with specific groups of conditions & diagnoses. These are places where people can find info & others who've had similar experiences.

On the other hand, I am sure text book & DSM descriptions of conditions & symptoms relating to them do not describe a whole & complex person. I am not convinced any of us fit nice & neatly into any one diagnoses or even have every symptom listed, or to the same level as anyone else.

Being a curious cat, I might speculate in my own head but I do not look at any label such as a diagnosis, & imagine for a moment that tells me everything about someone - perhaps just a glimpse, a small clue, maybe. But that's all.

Broad generalisations are where stereotypes come from.

mmMekitty

Hi summer rose, that's so beautiful thank u.

I was in hopsitla for a few days last month and I told my Dr there I think there is a movement coming where ppl will be proud of their diagnoses, bpd, personality disorders, avpd, ocpd etc...and it is a way of saying "I was terrorised so long and I'm now learning how much it's impacted my coping style," and be proud to have survived.

The Dr said "the movements already happening."

I will happily accept that hug and support xx

Really sorry if that does go on sleep and mb, that's just not good totally out of place and doesn't belong here. l'd think anyone doing stuff like that should be suspended for a mth or two.

l mostly just take a look at my own thread one or two others l can't read back too far in anything else so l'd skim over probably different threads to you also. Can't say l've seen much of any bad will though about in the little l do look at though, very sorry if you or anyone else is coming across it though.

Take care

rx

Hi Sleepy

Re ".... I told my Dr there I think there is a movement coming where ppl will be proud of their diagnoses..."

So just to mention- I'm bipolar2, depression, dysthymia (a constant low mood depression) and lastly anxiety that I have overcome.

To paraphrase the entertainer Stephen Fry"- "If I was reincarnated, I would want to return carrying the same illness because I'd know no other way of living".

That had some impact upon me many years ago and I went further in my thinking because the following is true-

• That without my illnesses I wouldnt be able to write my poetry. Every poem I've ever written (except for the humorous ones) have been written in a highly emotional state not possible when I'm at the bottom of the bipolar "swing" where I'm relatively normal. My poetry is extremely important to me. (Some are in Poetry corner)
• That I wouldnt have the level of empathy and compassion, kindness that I have now. That is also important to me.
• I wouldnt have the darling wife I have because she also has MI issues and we connect and help each other.
• I wouldnt have been able to be creative in other ways like building specially designed cubbies resembling attic houses, building a train with a ride on mower for a loco while unemployed so I could feed my family and inventing things like a motorised skateboard and scooter long before they came out commercially. At a model airplane club I built a batplane where batman was the pilot and Robin parachuted out, I even built a bald eagle 1500mm wide that magpies attacked! How could I live without my extreme thinking?

I wouldnt go as far as I love my illnesses due to the struggles and bad days but I would say I'm happy to have embraced the irreplaceable abilities the illnesses have given me.

TonyWK

Hi Tony,

I have creative interests as well. I can see how sensitivity and even painful life experiences connect to creating and in Ur experience, making poetry.

Thank u for sharing.

Hi everyone!

Hey Summer Rose...just wanted to say thankyou for your positive post....I have also felt uncomfortable on the Covid thread. I find it sad like yourself as I have a lot of life experience to share

Hey Sleepy....many GPs have better understanding about mental health (a tired mind) nowadays than even 10 years ago. It took me years to ask my 2 Gps for the help I really needed.

I hope everyone has a really good week!

Paul

Hi everyone,

Thank you to everyone sharing such useful and insightful suggestions and feedback for us here. We really appreciate the care and kindness you all bring to the forums.

While we love to see you supporting each other and being open here, we’re popping in to bring this thread back to its purpose of suggesting improvements to the forums. If you’re not sure where to post, there’s a bit of advice on the forums FAQ page, here.

This is not a thread for discussing the moderation or editing of individual posts - if you have questions about this, please contact the team via email at modsupport@beyondblue.org.au

It’s also worth remembering that we’re not able to implement all the suggestions right away, so please know that if you’ve shared some ideas here, they are being taken into account and we’re really grateful for them!

Kind regards,

Sophie M

Hello Katy, when I changed my picture there was also a problem in taking a long time and have been informed that this is being investigated by the IT experts on the site.

Mine did eventually change but there was a problem.

Geoff.

Katy glad you had it fixed.
Sometimes these things take time but they will be fixed.
I like your new profile pic.?

Hi Golden....Thankyou for your very helpful post....

There are a couple of important points missing in the support post on Jan 31 22...(Just staying on topic)

* Transparency in communication

* Motivational input

This is a part of the post from a Beyond Blue business hours representative on Jan 31 22

"While we love to see you supporting each other and being open here, we kindly ask you to do so elsewhere on the forums, whether on your own thread, or in one of the other sections"

Hello Everyone,

Please don’t get upset or angry with anyone here...on these forums...support is a must for everyone here..

I know BB are doing their best to keep these forums safe for everyone..

I come into this thread to read about suggestions to improve the forums for all our community members, to which you are all apart of...

Some posts starting making me uncomfortable, I mean..I come in to read about suggestions and instead are reading about mental health struggles....and some of the things I have read can be triggering for me and maybe others..I try to keep away from these types of posts when I’m not doing to well, due to them bringing me a down a bit further...

Sometimes threads can get off subject, that’s very understandable, due to questions of other members being answered..and I feel that is okay, but occasionally our beautiful mods have to step in with a gentle reminder to us all to bring the thread back to topic, if not then members are not likely to use this thread for suggestions on improving the forums, instead they could stay away because it’s starting to become a threat to them with triggering words in it....like it has to me..

Please let’s just keep this thread for the wonderful suggestions that you all have made...a place that anyone can come to to help make these forums more easier for everyone to use..

I am sorry if my words have hurt anyone...it’s not intentional at all...it’s just that I used to like listening to suggestions for improving these forums, even though I’ve had none...you all here and possibly other members reading will have some great suggestions to add here..

Hugs everyone..again I’m sorry if I have offended or upset anyone..

Grandy..

Hello Everyone,

Thank you for your valuable thoughts and suggestions. I'm sure they will be taken on board. I do agree with Tony that it is easy for a written word to be misinterpreted. We don't see the other person, we are unable to rely on our visual cues, somebody's facial expressions and body language that accompany the speech. These usually help us with adequate identification and message decoding.

In addition, we might be in various states of mind and be more or less susceptible and/or vulnerable to somebody's response. It can be a complicated and conflicting process and I understand what you are saying about having mixed feelings at times but I also do feel that the moderators are trying their best but might not always be able to satisfy everyone's needs. As many people read any post, as many varied interpretations and individual emotions.

Take care, Everyone!

Hi Grandy

Thanks so much for your gentle reminder of why it’s important to stay on topic here.

Your story really demonstrates how easy it is to inadvertently cause harm on the forum. I’m so sorry to have participated in a discussion that triggered you. Please know that it was done without any intent to cause harm to anyone.

Love reading your wise and always kind posts on the forum. Thank you for your honesty and for doing your bit to promote safety.

I’m off topic, again, I know. But I hope you will forgive me—I would have felt dreadful not to apologise to you.

Kind thoughts to you

Hi ,

To carry on Goldens and many others messaging about transparency,

If a post is edited, having a mark that is edited, sounds like a great idea.

I'd also ask that staff and moderators respect our struggles with disability and vulnerability, and be as transparent as possible, ie if we are told someone will email or follow up with us, try to make good.

I also think if an entire thread is deleted, moderators should replace the link with a comment on why it was deleted and redirect to some other places in the forms to speak.

Hey sleep. l actually asked mods if it was possible to delete one of my threads for important personal reasons and so l was really pleased and relieved that it could be deleted and was. But in my instance l couldn't leave any explanation either as that in itself would've also compromised those reasons .

So there most likely were a few situations like that with others too as sometimes it can be very tricky attempting to discuss some of our personal situations.

rx

Hi rx, this is something slightly different, where a person's thread was deleted by moderators, and the person did not want so.

Hi rx, glad they could help

It may happen that someone was unaware why a thread was deleted and it was a more general type thread, which I was unaware happened but apparentlytcan

From what I heard unless a person requests directly for deletion, threads aren't removed

Thanks for that insight, valid point I had missed.

Hi Sleepy,

I think it is unhelpful to only post the glowing reviews of hospital experiences. I feel to show 2 sides of the coin is a good idea. It is the truth and reality. Reality is not always pretty. And for vulnerable ppl to be led to believe this is risky for if they get a bad experience what does it do to them? I know it was v difficult for me; as i heard the messaging it would all be good and i would get help; and presented. And what i got did not match what i had been told i would get. If i went in with more 2 sides of what it could be like i may not have felt so let down. It also helps to have our experience heard i feel. Only with open discussion can we see the areas that need improving and work to improve them for all. To close it down and effectively have our heads in the sand we do not make improvements - as nothing needs fixing...but obviously that is a much bigger issue than forums.

Hi Sleepy,

I empathize with u. I get censored a lot too and struggle with it. Out irl too. Actually it is extra tough from the backgrounds we have. But please try not to take it personally. You always offer support and from a good heart. Everyone here knows that. It is a shame it is gone as it is helpful i feel. And yes, you are right no one discouraged ppl from getting help. It was a supportive topic to feel not so alone in our experiences. It helped ppl...just keep hold of that :)

Hello Everyone,

Dear SummerRose, their is no need for you or anyone to apologise at all....

I said wrong on this thread and I do acknowledge that...

My kind thoughts everyone,,

Grandy...

Hi Grandy, ❤️❤️❤️ mmMekitty

Hi Grandy

I deeply appreciate your graciousness and please know that I don’t feel that you have done anything “wrong” at all.

Everyone is different, but I liked the way you explained why it is important to you that discussions remain on topic. You provided a very personal story and shared a perspective that demonstrated why we have the “on topic” rule in the first place.

Perhaps as a way to improve the forums the rationale for each of the different rules could be further explained, particularly where it might not be obvious.

Your presence here is valued and welcomed, just like everyone else is Grandy. 

Kind thoughts to you

Hi All,

Summer Rose has made an excellent idea here...

"Perhaps as a way to improve the forums the rationale for each of the different rules could be further explained, particularly where it might not be obvious".

I think this is a very helpful idea. There are multiple threads outlining the rules and also posts scattered about like Grandy's that try to explain issues such as the importance of trigger warnings on threads.

But these are not organised. It would be good to have these posts grouped so they're easy to find.

Nat

Hi Querqus, agreed and also if they were all together, if someone was new to the forums, and confused, I'd appreciate that I, as a member and valued contributor, could then help the new person out by linking them in to the info.

Ie we could write, here's some helpful info on the Rules, and attach the link, as part of helping newbies orient themselves and a welcome-pack type situation