Can I ask everyone a question?

Well I want to start by saying I am only seeking to understand other perspectives and I want to do so, so that I can make sure I am using the forums in a way that is most productive for me and others. I feel everyone’s opinions are completely valid and while I am aware I have my own strong views I am not intending to push them onto anyone else.

why is it that negative experiences of the mental health system are taboo on here? I understand trying to facilitate and encourage help seeking but is it not discouraging to those trying to get help here by sharing their very real and unfortunate experiences with perhaps the only other people they may ever encounter who might actually ‘get it’?

It seems that anytime anyone mentions a negative experience with the system on here they have to preface with ‘’this is just my opinion’’ or some other way to say they are not criticizing the system beofre posting their experiences to avoid the post being taken down or told they are saying something wrong. No one is asked to say that depression was only bad for them and it might be fine for others..... why do people need to defend their experiences only when they are negative? No one has to say I had a good experience but you might not....

I am not trying to say we don’t need to try and be positive about things where possible but it can be very invalidating when something bad did happen to you and you are made to feel like it doesn’t matter because it didn’t happen to others so you can’t voice your frustration because no one wants to know about bad things. It often feels dismissive and upsetting because having a mental health issues means you are constantly fighting to have people believe you and take you seriously when you have a concern and shouldn’t a mental health forum be a place where all people with mental health issues feel welcome and validated ? It sometimes feels like being a minority of a minority. Is it really fair that we only post about good experiences with the system just because that is what people want to hear?

I am genuinely confused about this issue so long as discriptions of experiences aren’t graphic why is it that there is always a warning. We are all capable adults who can evaluate information and come to our own conclusions about what is good for us but is not not fair to be allowed to hear both sides of the story? I get community stuff is hard but it is really a community if not all members are allowed to have their say?