I sincerely doubt that anyone would be able to get any good "controlled" information from a site like PC. In order to do any kind of research, there has to be an element of control in that research in order for it to be successful.

The only information a researcher would have here is what someone says on the internet. That would bring so much into question that any kind of research would be null and void. What a waste of time for them to do that.

Are there folks here trying to learn about certain illnesses and/or disorders, sure there are. Is that a bad thing? Heck no. That's why I came to PC back in 2005 as I was beginning to work with some mentally disabled and ill folks. I wanted to learn as much as I could so that I could help them, not hurt them. And look at me now! Don't many of us want to have more informed members of society learn about what we go through and how we deal with life so that we aren't in a fish bowl anymore?

I think it's good that we question ourselves as to what we are putting on the internet. What goes on the internet, stays on the internet. We should be mindful of who knows our username, who knows where we live, etc. Keeping yourself safe on the internet is of high importance to each of us. Knowing that we cannot control everyone or everything and then finding a way to work within that knowledge is what is key.

Personal research here is fine....we all have someone in our lives that mental illness touches. Asking questions of how members deal with those illnesses is a good thing. We want people to be educated about mental illness.