I agree with Kori. I think that a lot of people are given the "moderator status" in user-created rooms who should not be given that status. I think that a lot of really new members to PsychCentral in general are being given that "mod status", and they are more interested in discussing sex (masturbation was the topic tonight for a while), rather than in offering support. It's easy to say "go to Emotional Support for support", however, how long do you expect someone to sit in a room by themselves before they give up?

I joined PsychCentral because I thought it was a peer support site, not a "talk about sex all day" site.

I have tried to create my own rooms to be able to avoid the topic of sex, and from my experience, I wind up sitting there by myself for hours on end, because no one bothers to come in when they see that there is only one person there. It's a case of "majority rules" whether it is a helpful and supportive environment or not.

I am not sure though, about the "only mods who are actual mods having mod status" though, because I've seen people who are "actual" mods (like, listed on the site as a moderator) who abuse that power in chat.

When I first joined, chat was more supportive. Over the past few months though, it seems to have devolved into a sex chat rather than a support chat. As Kori said, members are banned for struggling rather than offered support. Members are insulted, mocked, and ridiculed. Members are accused of "lying" and "faking" their mental illnesses, or else accused of being "attention seekers" for asking for support.

I agree that this needs to change, because chat has become a very unwelcoming place. I have even had a couple of people who I consider friends from here tell me that they are thinking of leaving PsychCentral completely because of the treatment they have received in chat lately. And that is a huge problem, I think. Feel free to disagree, as I'm sure that some people will.

Edit: I have personally been told that I am just being paranoid and psychotic for thinking that someone in chat did/does not like me, however, I find it hard to NOT think that when they say things specifically to me (by name) that are very derogatory, rude, mean, and insulting. I am not sure how this particular attitude with things can be considered "supportive" at all.