my take on this situation - when I encounter something online I think about it this way -

in real life, would I want to come out of my physician's / therapists office and have some stranger off the street walk up to me and say - so you see Dr. so and so. I used to see them too so you must see them for this that and the other thing.

Would I want a stranger who happens to overhear a part of a conversation, suddenly walk up to me and say - I heard you mention this and that so you must be seeing the same treatment provider I have seen last year.

I would probably look at that complete stranger person and quite frankly I would be quite offended that some stranger assumes they know who my treatment providers are and why I'm seeing them, based on their evidence that they see me frequent a particular building or overhear a few sentences of a conversation.

After all anything to do with my health issues is supposed to be confidential and private. Its up to ....me...... whether I tell others about my health issues and who I see for treatment providers, not the other way around.

I would also ask myself am I a person that would walk up to a complete stranger as they exit a mental health office. assume I know who and why they were at that office and strike up a conversation about the doctor. Ive been in therapy for how many years and how often have I done this to others? none.

Nope I am not that kind of person to walk up to a complete stranger like that. Yea that wouldn't be a good thing for me to do.

so, when I encounter the same type of situation online, I remind myself that everyone has the right of privacy and confidentiality. I personally would not ask another who their treatment provider is, why they are seeing them and would not disclose that I may or may not recognize their treatment provider based on what the poster has chosen to post about them.

I would consider that in real life we naturally do encounter strangers who visit the same treatment providers and agencies. And yea sometimes its very obvious what treatment provider they see because that treatment provider may be in a small professional building or in private practice. but that still wouldnt give me the right to walk up to a stranger and tell them I know their treatment provider and that I know why they see that treatment provider based on the fact that I too have seen that treatment provider who specializes in this or that disease or condition.

its just one of those things everyone has the rights to privacy and confidentiality around their mental and physical health issues including who they see and for what.

on that note I have from time to time encountered others online who assumed by my posts that they may know my treatment providers.

When this first happened, I was nice about it. I referred the member to the rules of which ever site that I happen to be on. I tell them that most forums on the internet cover privacy and confidentiality in that we don't disclose personal identifying information.

Therefore, I am unable to confirm nor deny who they think my treatment provider is. By confirming or denying it, that discloses my personal identifying information.

if they persist, I ask them if they would feel comfortable if some stranger on the internet discovered who their treatment provider was, and in turn showed up on their doorstep.

how does that relate - you see by disclosing what treatment provider a person sees that also opens the door stalkers, and strangers discovering personal information like location. not only me but also affecting my treatment provider. the stranger would just have to sit outside that treatment providers office and follow everyone they think fits who they are looking for and follow them home.

I choose not to disclose that information, even if some stranger online thinks they know who my treatment providers are. its a safety issue.

if they still persist in trying to identify my treatment provider I report and ignore.

be safe out there, its very easy to forget and post identifying information and its very easy to assume to know someone else's treatment providers online.