[Skitz13]

Good morning everyone. Was just interested in knowing what "support forum" means to you.

[usehername]

It means a safe, relatively anonymous place to ask questions, rant and let off steam, and seek support & guidance.

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[Angry1541]

Hmm...for me, I think somewhere to go with questions, somewhere I can rant, or write some things I am working through...maybe even get some people to send me a 'hug' or advice, or relate to an issue I may be having.

Originally Posted by usehername

...relatively anonymous place...

Good point. I feel that a good support forum allows you to choose a level of anonymity, i.e. you can be as anonymous or as open as you like (to some degree, of course, since no choice can be perfectly fulfilled).

[Dix888]

a place to ask questions, get suggestions on what works for others, a place to rant & blow off steam, to get hugs & encouragement & feel part of a "tribe"

[Skitz13]

Originally Posted by Dix888

a place to ask questions, get suggestions on what works for others, a place to rant & blow off steam, to get hugs & encouragement & feel part of a "tribe"

hhmmmm interesting, haven't been feeling that

[gayleggg]

Originally Posted by Dix888

a place to ask questions, get suggestions on what works for others, a place to rant & blow off steam, to get hugs & encouragement & feel part of a "tribe"

I couldn't have said it better. Thanks

[pawn78]

A place I can be totally open about my mental illness, and share ideas with others who struggle with similar problems.

[Curiosity77]

A place where there are other people with similar issues, so we can relate to each other. I feel that i can post anything here, and i will still be accepted. That's pretty amazing and rare. I have gotten some good advice and different people's perspectives. I try to read as many posts as i can, and i reply whenever i feel i have something useful to say. I know that other people are reading my posts, and even if they don't respond, knowing they are out there helps break the isolation of living with BP. I have to be really responsible and put together in most areas of my life, so this is a place where i can be a little unhinged if that's how i feel, and i don't have to have all the answers.

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[pawn78]

I already feel some warm friendships here on the forum, that is really nice.

[cool09]

I went to a BP support group once and came away depressed. I could not relate to some of the others. I asked one guy (who owned a million dollar company) how bad mania interfered with his work and he told me "I love it! I get more done." I'm just the opposite: it completely shuts my mental and physical energy down, it messes with my thought process, I become totally dysfunctional and probably psychotic. No more groups for me.

[pawn78]

Originally Posted by cool09

I went to a BP support group once and came away depressed. I could not relate to some of the others. I asked one guy (who owned a million dollar company) how bad mania interfered with his work and he told me "I love it! I get more done." I'm just the opposite: it completely shuts my mental and physical energy down, it messes with my thought process, I become totally dysfunctional and probably psychotic. No more groups for me.

There is a local support group here too, but I went a couple of times and it was awful, everyone was just whining about their depression, and I thought it was a horrible waste of time. I like the forum here much better myself.

[Mental reward]

...empathy