[Imah]

I have been a member only since 2014, but I have seen a common amount of people on this page. That amount is slowly going down.

Rhetorical questions to ask ourselves:

Are we continuing to contribute to threads in a helpful, offering, and generous manner, remembering that we are dealing with a variety of people?

I am sorry to see in the last 3 months a steady decline of people. At this time there are 40. There used to be a minimum of approx. 70. Last month I saw 50 for an average low. So the decline is increasing.

Let us try to share honestly, not overwhelm others with every thought (I do this occasionally) and make this a place for all to unload and uplift.

[pirilin]

I want to believe that people are getting better. So less need to come here.
I really hope that's the situation.

Newcomers want to be in the limelight.
Some of us post more than others.
Other tend to be too profund or scientific.
I've restricted myself to one post per day.
Trying to make it relevant to bipolar.

[Imah]

Ugh, I said done instead of down.

[smallwonderer]

Originally Posted by Imah

I have been a member only since 2014, but I have seen a common amount of people on this page. That amount is slowly going down.

Thanks for the reminder Imah. I did notice that we as a subgroup of people tend to talk past each other on threads (I do this), but I still like reading everything people write. Do you think there should be a general etiquette guideline to encourage new posters about a good way to interact in the threads?

[Imah]

No, not an etiquette guideline. I was trying to pretend I was talking in general, but actually only 1 person has been pissing me off. I snapped and told them what I thought and finally I feel better and if I am not ... lol just banned from typing Could be my last post here... well, no - everyone is fine. Just one person was pissing me off and I was trying to be subtle.

[wiretwister]

Originally Posted by Imah

Let us try to share honestly, not overwhelm others with every thought (I do this occasionally) and make this a place for all to unload and uplift.

I can be very overwhelming at times , so I try to keep it inside a single thread , my way is to see it in print , some how makes it more real to me , not like a bad dream but a fact I can not ignore . As far as being sensured , I was suspended a while back .... it seems a shame just when you need help the most the powers that be decide you can't have it ... as if that magically makes the underlying reason just go away because they can't see it any more ... not a very helpful engine as Thomas would say ... I for one would think if more people would share their sucesses and victories instead of every thread being so down ... I want those that need help , to share , to seek an ear from others , after all that is suppost to be the founding reason for pc to begin with ... but there are good days ... at least once in a while ... can we not share them too , and be happy for others ... maybe lighten our load some .. if only for a minute ... Just a thought .......Tigger .

[Keegan2015]

I actually posted about this the other day ... I definitely think that the number of regular posters has gone down and there are overall less people viewing the forum. Makes things a bit more boring, I suppose.

[venusss]

Well, the forum used to have some interesting posters who are now gone.

It seems bit dull lately.

[Roaming_bird]

As a newbie who has posted a lot, it's hard not to take offense at this thread. I'm sorry I post too much. I'm sorry I'm not entertaining as the old posters.

If you find it's dull, post something.

And perhaps it isn't the limelight we're seeking. Maybe we post a lot because this is the first time we felt like we've been able to talk about our illness in a supportive environment.

[Keegan2015]

Originally Posted by Roaming_bird

As a newbie who has posted a lot, it's hard not to take offense at this thread. I'm sorry I post too much. I'm sorry I'm not entertaining as the old posters.

If you find it's dull, post something.

And perhaps it isn't the limelight we're seeking. Maybe we post a lot because this is the first time we felt like we've been able to talk about our illness in a supportive environment.

I don't think you post too much, in fact most / all of your posts that I've seen are directly relevant to the BP experience and generate good discussion.

[wiretwister]

Originally Posted by Roaming_bird

As a newbie who has posted a lot, it's hard not to take offense at this thread.

please don't be offended , I post a lot , most of it my ranting and ravings ... everyone is wanted here ... it's not what others get or don't get from your post ... it's freedom to let it pour out in a safe enviroment ... we must never forget that ...

[venusss]

Originally Posted by Roaming_bird

As a newbie who has posted a lot, it's hard not to take offense at this thread. I'm sorry I post too much. I'm sorry I'm not entertaining as the old posters.

If you find it's dull, post something.

And perhaps it isn't the limelight we're seeking. Maybe we post a lot because this is the first time we felt like we've been able to talk about our illness in a supportive environment.

I may find you yet interesting.

Your posting are okay, not flooding the forum overly... it's tempting to post a lot when somewhere new.



To me worst kind of newbies are those that assume they know your story (because all bipolars are the same, right?) and jump on you with their "advice" right off, telling you how delusional you are because you are doing something out of the mainstream **** they ready about in bipolar for dummies or on wikipedia. They usually last few posts though and leave with "oh, I thought you were looking for help and support, but if you don't do the generic standard route, it's not place for me".

[BlackSheep79]

I don't know if this relates to the question. I have drifted because I honestly feel like I don't fit in. This isn't a pity party, so no comments please, I'm just being honest. I'm always dealing with hypomania or mania, rarely do I go through a depression. If I do it's for a few days, but it's not crippling like I see so often on here. I see on here that a majority deal with a lot of depression. When I read of people going through mania, not all, so don't give me crap, they seem to like the high. I hate it, it's exhausting for me mentally and physically. I don't deal with euphoria, I deal with screaming at my loved ones, road rage, etc. I can see though that if you are depressed that would feel good to finally have that, for me it doesn't end. So I feel like I can't offer advice, not always. Sometimes I visit and just read, I don't log on. And yes I know there are others like me, just not many.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

I admit I'm guilty of spamming the boards. Especially when I'm hypo. Now that I realize this, I'm trying my best to calm it down. But honestly, this really is the only place I have to vent my feelings. Yes I do need to get a therapist to do this with and I'm working on that.

I would hate to see this place go dead! This place is the one and only place where I can talk 100% openly about my issues. And I appreciate every reply and bit of support I get and I try my all to return the favor.

Not to mention the friends I've made here! I look forward to their posts to check in on what's going on in their side of the world!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Keegan2015]

Originally Posted by RxQueen875

I admit I'm guilty of spamming the boards. Especially when I'm hypo. Now that I realize this, I'm trying my best to calm it down. But honestly, this really is the only place I have to vent my feelings. Yes I do need to get a therapist to do this with and I'm working on that.

I would hate to see this place go dead! This place is the one and only place where I can talk 100% openly about my issues. And I appreciate every reply and bit of support I get and I try my all to return the favor.

Not to mention the friends I've made here! I look forward to their posts to check in on what's going on in their side of the world!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This forum going dead would suck tremendously. This is the only active online bipolar community that I'm aware of besides the r/bipolar subreddit.

[boogiesmash]

Originally Posted by Keegan2015

This forum going dead would suck tremendously. This is the only active online bipolar community that I'm aware of besides the r/bipolar subreddit.

Bipolar subreddit??

[Keegan2015]

Originally Posted by boogiesmash

Bipolar subreddit??

Yeah, bro. https://www.reddit.com/r/bipolar

It's a pretty good community. I think it has like 15,000 subscribers.

[1278]

I also posted alot on the boards in the past weeks as I was confused about my illness(glad to connect with other people who are bipolar since in my country we don't really have support groups except for the big cities) and I was also going through an especially rough patch (mixed episodes, starting University then stopping, suspected lamictal rash) with no support and understanding. I appreciate every hug, thanks and response. I read most posts, but now that I'm in a bit of a dip, I don't really respond in time. I hope I haven't been too annoying

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Originally Posted by Keegan2015

This forum going dead would suck tremendously. This is the only active online bipolar community that I'm aware of besides the r/bipolar subreddit.

I belonged to one other forum but I'm not sure if I can mention other forum names here. I just deleted it off my tapatalk the other day because I went on there and the fifth post down was like a wk old! We gatta keep the party going here! For my sanity at least lol

Edit: maybe another reason it's been calming down is because the weather is getting nicer and people are out doing things. Just a thought?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Calypso2632]

I come on and read almost every day. I just don't have alot of confidence in starting my own threads or chiming in to what I'm reading for fear of sounding like a fool.

[neverending]

I have mostly just been reading lately, not logging in. Stabilized on seroquel but still running some hypomania so pdoc took me off my AD. Went into a depression and got put back on AD again. After about a month of depression I seem to be coming out of it again n starting to swing the other way. See pdoc tomorrow. For the most part I just don't feel like posting for some reason. Just don't seem to have much to say. As if I am very interesting anyway. Probably bore people when I do post or my replies to people aren't very helpful.

[Imah]

Originally Posted by Imah

No, not an etiquette guideline. I was trying to pretend I was talking in general, but actually only 1 person has been pissing me off. I snapped and told them what I thought and finally I feel better and if I am not ... lol just banned from typing Could be my last post here... well, no - everyone is fine. Just one person was pissing me off and I was trying to be subtle.

Roaming Bird, I have enjoyed all your posts. In fact, my issue should never have been to make a post that everyone with a little insecurity would think I was talking about them. I do that too - always think I should be a little nicer, or a littler whatever. No, I had 1 problem, with 1 person that I have been trying to deal with since Jan. I mentioned it to a friend, then I mentioned it to another person, then I avoided coming here, then I tried to deal with it, then I tried to talk to a moderator, then I just snapped. I wrote this, then I decided it was a little okay to lose my temper, and I wrote them directly, harshly, and I got off the comp. then I banged around the house, then I talked to my husband, then I busted into tears, and then I felt better.

For nearly 2 months this hasn't been a place of sanctuary for me because I have lost some financial luxuries due to my mental illness and I felt like someone wasn't talking other peoples feelings into consideration.

Of course the truth is, I was just jealous of what they have.

Anyway, I came here tonight to take my lumps and get it over with for being rude, and instead I found I have made the wrong people think I was talking about them.

I am sorry. I should have handled the problem directly in the first place instead of trying to be subtle by writing this. NO - I hurt a lot of innocent people. We need to communicate with each other - especially we need to be able to come here and share with each other when we are having difficulty.

I hope no one that has responded to this post stops sharing as much as they were. I don't want to say who it was - that drama played out on another thread. But it wasn't anyone here.

Sorry.

[Imah]

Oh, and also today I figured out a new trigger. That is what has had me upset - a trigger kept clicking with someones posts.

[ComfortablyNumb5]

Originally Posted by Calypso2632

I come on and read almost every day. I just don't have alot of confidence in starting my own threads or chiming in to what I'm reading for fear of sounding like a fool.

Don't ever feel afraid to ask or chime in. Everyone's input is important and is very important to keeping this forum alive! We may be a bit loony at times but we don't bite

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have become more educated about my own bipolar.

I am bipolar 1 and only have a few depressions a year at most. I am always a bit hypo to normal. My P-docs let me stay medicated this way since I am a bit older with older kids. I can go out a time or two a week without harming my kids with my behavior.

I feel I post a lot.