Your feedback needed: Updating our forum categories

Okay. Because I see them as different too @Zoe7

We are on the same page then @tyme 🥰

@Zoe7 and @tyme I love the idea of a 'Content warning:' with a brief description of what could be distressing for a reader rather than a trigger warning. @Former-Member and I had a discussion once about the actual word 'trigger' being a trigger for certain categories of people!

I agree @Ilovepenguins with using 'Content warning'. I don't think we necessarily need a description though of what could be distressing for the reader. My thoughts on that are, much like a trigger warning, we do not know what will bring up adverse feelings for the viewer/reader so just having the warning is enough to alert the viewer/reader that there may be content that could be 'triggering'.

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@Captain24 wrote:

I feel as though my MH issues fall among many of the sub sections. So where do I go on any particular day. While support from different members will be really good and valuable, they also don’t know the rest of your story as it’s in a different couple of areas. So there aren’t really bonds formed that know your whole story.

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I strongly agree with what @Captain24 said. The people on my thread know my history and issues and can follow along. I don't want to have to explain it all again to every new person who visits. Of course I have done this in the past, but I don't want to do it every day. We all have very complex MIs and many of them all at once. I have 6 very complicated MIs that clash with each other, and I don't want to start a new post in a different area every time a different one raises its head, explaining everything again.

On any given day I might post a post that encompasses any or all of my 6 MIs. Plus, anxiety underlies a lot of my MIs (e.g. my OCD, Hoarding Disorder, Agoraphobia) so I can see myself and other people wondering "Where the heck should I post?" and not posting at all because it's all too stressful to work out.

Therefore I am in favour of less than 10 categories. Maybe only 3 or 4. (I know that would pose a difficulty for you @espressologic 😢 )

A lot of people also find their own thread their only "safe space" where they can get the support and connection they need. On fragile days or indeed all the time, they only visit their own thread.

Also, I use the Search bar a lot, and also recommend it to most new people that I welcome. I think the Search bar could replace the tags at the bottom describing MIs - I've never used the tags at the bottom myself.

I am also along with @Zoe7 not in favour of a separate area for SI and SH. I think these topics pop up in conjection with other MIs all the time, so could be classified under other MH conditions or a general MI section.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on your proposed changes @espressologic , it's much appreciated 🙂

@Dimity what do you think?

Morning @espressologic

About the Carer`s side of the forum,

I have tried to do more but I have found that most of the carers, Mothers, Fathers who come on have their own mental health problems

I believe combining the two together will be good, only problem I see if any conversation would trigger someone in the Lived experience

@Former-Member , @NatureLover , @Zoe7 , @Ilovepenguins , @Dimity , @tyme , @Snowie , @Eve7 , @MDT , @defaultusername , @Blackbird11 , @Anastasia , @Judi9877

Hello @espressologic

only problem I can see is -- that if someone looks up the Sane forum for carer advice and sees there is no carer forum ( will this stop them from logging on )

@Former-Member , @Zoe7 , @Ilovepenguins , @tyme , @Jynx

@NatureLover I do agree that we often have one or two threads that give a much broader history of our 'story' or 'journey' - and to have to retell or explain things multiple times would be a deterrent to engage at times.

@espressologic @NatureLover I believe there are wider issue with new members engaging in the forums. The first is the Welcome section where there is often less engagement by present members and/or PSW/mods. @NatureLover is great at welcoming these members and directing them to useful threads👍🌞 . The second issue is a navigation one - and is tied to the tags also at the bottom of the home page. The tags need a big overhaul as they often navigate you to older threads that are no longer active and/or content is not really helpful. The third issue is the difference in communication - we see a massive difference between how members/PSWs/mods respond to new members than longer term/existing members. There is often a lot of info given rather than a building of rapport and the way these members are responded to (particularly if they seem in crisis) is very different to similar posts from existing/long term members - something that needs to be addressed.

Thanks for your kind words, @Zoe7 ❤️

Hey there @Shaz51 🙂🌺

@espressologic

yes, there’s definitely two sides when considering the benefits of combining the carers forum space with the lived expeirence forum space.
I know personally that I would be hesitant to discuss matters if I wasn’t clear on which space I was in, because what if my carer is there anonymised but still able to read my posts - potentially figuring out it’s me?
(In the instance I had a carer or family who cared and may like to discuss their experiences anonymously online in a forum).
Also, if a carer is feeling they want to find their own unique space, having carer and LEx in the same place might also put them off in terms of feeling that need for a little bit of separation to be free to speak openly amongst their carer peers without offending anyone who receives care from a carer - sometimes, carers have difficult challenges that, when described, could be perceived by those with LEx and carers, to be demeaning (eg: a carer expressing how exhausting it can be to care for someone could be interpreted as rejection by someone reading who has LEx).
I also feel that part of the problem isn’t so much the low volume of carer forum traffic, it’s the lack of widespread knowledge that there is in fact a carers forum on SANE, and that carers themselves have a dedicated space to be free to express their challenges, barriers, and need to relate to other carers.
The solution in my mind is wider dissemination of the existence of the dedicated carers forum, along with targeted campaigns that empower and enable carers to raise and use their voices to both normalise what they go through, but to feel stronger in advocating for themselves as a unique group with unique unmet service delivery needs in society.
Currently, carers have a much lower profile than people with LEx, and maintaining a dedicated space will eventually facilitate the continuation of growth of awareness that other carers want to talk, and need to talk, amongst themselves - just like years ago with those of us who were then living in isolated silence regarding our mental health 🙂🌺

I am supporting keeping the carer and LEx areas of the web site separate, to suit the unique needs and sensitivities of each community 💜🙂

@Ilovepenguins