http://forums.psychcentral.com/rules...%22-posts.html

It's a rule that was brought in for very good reasons. The person doing the post is upset and possibly crying out for help and does a post stating that they are leaving. This then can upset a whole community. People get triggered and think that they are the reason the person has decided to leave. Often the person who decides to leave then comes back under a new username and there can in deed be a cycle of coming and going. Yes we are human beings and form attachments here.

I do think sending PMs to friends is the way to go...