AmandaLouise puts it perfectly. It's a tool to enforce self-care, not necessarily to punish. People get overstimulated by the environment and don't have the coping skills developed yet, so they need a break to calm down and assess their behavior. I've seen very few "permabans" in my three years here, and people are given multiple chances to change behavior. It's a very difficult choice the admins have to make when they suspend or ban someone because they have to look at greater community good, and they know that person will have friends and people they support and get support from, and they're not trying to be mean, just trying to make a decision that keeps the community safe and supportive and also in the long run can be beneficial to that person.

I will also say that an online forum like this isn't the best place for everyone. It can be triggering and overstimulating, and more hurtful to some than helpful. It's not a judgment; it's just a fact that this may or may not be a helpful community for you. Just like group therapy works for some people and not for others. Or some people respond to CBT or DBT or regular talk therapy. Not every form of support and treatment works for everyone.

Seesaw