A couple of quick things:
1) I love Oomi's idea to inject a little randomness, a little silly fun, into the thread every so often. It might be time for another cartoon week, too!
2) I've heard a few more times that people feel ignored in the thread. I just want to say again that I know I'm not the only one who reads every post in here. I obviously post way too much as it is, so I'm trying to hold back and post sort of bigger picture stuff, or answer things like specific medication questions, where I have a bit more expertise.
Anyway, sometimes people don't know how to answer a post, or they kind of read it, identify with what the poster is talking about, but not really have anything to add beyond, "I read that and I can identify." I'd encourage you to post, even if that's "all" you have to offer, but plenty of people don't feel comfortable doing that. I tell people that I have a lot of visibility in this community, and even I feel like some things I say are completely passed over, as they get no responses. I know there are people reading these posts, but I still get that feeling of, "why am I being ignored?"
We're trying to do a few things about this issue. One is keeping some of the more in-jokey stuff out of the thread and back in IRC. We like the sense of community we have, but people are put off when it seems like some special club. Another is to make a special effort to make sure that new folks get a welcome and know that their posts are read.
I'm going back to sending more PMs to people, reinforcing that the thread is just part of the help this community provides. We've had some great comments here and in the channel about the IRC. People there are so willing to go in-depth on people's issues and questions, and you get to have a more fluid discussion.
As we experiment with the podcast (which is close to 100 listens!), we really want to try taking every other show to have a more free-form discussion, focused on posts in the thread. There are so many posts that really need a bit of discussion, rather than a specific answer. We'll also look at posts and discuss why the way they are written makes them very hard to address. Hopefully it keeps the focus on the community, enhances the discussion on the thread, and ensures that people are being heard.
(If you're interested in helping out by being on the podcast for one of these shows, just let me know! I want more people from the community participating - there are so many of you I've known for so long, and I'd love the chance to get t know you better!)
3) Some amazing reviews of drug therapy for...
Depression
Anxiety
Bipolar disorder
Insomnia
These are very readable papers, packed with consensus information about all of the drugs commonly used for each condition. Go to the depression paper, for example, and look at table 5 - excellent side effect information for
every type of drug! These are great places to start if you're thinking about going to a doctor and possibly starting drug therapy, or trying a new medication.
4) I'm always glad to see us rally as a community when people need us. Please, please, please let us know when you need help! We're all so glad that the people who were decidedly not OK are still with us, still fighting. Maybe you still feel like complete shit, but that won't last forever.
We've had some folks leaving the community, or considering leaving, going back a while now. Some people have backed way off, some have quit altogether, and others are thinking of leaving now.
The idea that you're a burden, or it's somehow better for us if we don't have you around, is, to put it nicely, total bullshit, and we all know it.
The burden is not being asked to help you out, to lend you whatever help we can, but to know that you're suffering and not being able to do anything. *That's* what hurts.
We're in this together. When some of us are way down, there are others with a bit of strength to lend. You have friends and allies here. Post if you need help, PM us, come to IRC, come to steam. Most of us are here both because we need help, sure, but we're also here to watch out for each other. Many of us help ourselves primarily by helping others. It's easier to combat these problems when you they're not in your own head. I get a lot of perspective on my own problems by talking to people about what they're going through.
Stay As Well As Possible, everyone - SAWAP!
