To be clear up front, yours is a perfectly acceptable position but if I might ask a question or two...?

Who cares if online I don't know who I am really dealing with? I mean, there are a few people here at psych central that I feel close to. Now perhaps if I met them in rl I would find that they present completely different and I wouldn't like them or feel that connection. If that is the case, then I am very glad that I don't know them in real life because I value them in my life right now. You know?

In real life I am close to my wife - that's about it. I am close with my father but he lives 3000 miles away so we only connect over the phone. In both instances, I feel badly that they have to watch or listen to the pain in my voice constantly due to health issues and chronic pain. I hate to subject them to that - I know how I would feel if I had to watch my wife suffering every day.

Here on line I can chat away without anyone here hearing me cry out from pain or watch me fall down on the way to the computer. That's a big plus for me.