[tecomsin]

I mean someone who would know of your diagnosis looks up online forums (there aren't that many) and looks for you.

Do you think you are easily identifiable from your posts to someone who knows you?

Do you care?

[BeyondtheRainbow]

Yes, I worry. My mom could easily identify me from my posts because she knows my day to day life. Others could figure it out. But I don't think anyone would try to find this/find me on here. They've got better things to do with their time. I am cautious about posting things that could hurt other people who might find this so if they do they aren't hurt by it.

[TheSeaCat]

I don't worry about someone finding me, my family has burred there head in the sand when it comes to my diagnosis's so I know my dad wouldn't be lurking around a forum. The only person who would probably recognize me is my therapist and maybe even my primary doc and of course a few friends might notice some of my daily check ins since they are mentioned, but it's not like bad. If someone made me on this forum I wouldn't care at all.

[Victoria'smom]

I'm easily identifiable. I don't care if people identify me. I'm completely honest here. The only thing I worry about is CPS or Divorce using this against me. I'm less and less fearful as my son gets older.

[cashart10]

The only times I have been concerned are times when I have been manic and paranoid. Other times I think that rationally, no one could care less about finding and reading my posts.

I wonder if anyone already has because I have said things about my life that make me identifiable. It would not bother me for people to know about my struggles but I am trying to be more careful about giving specific information about others in my life. I see it as--I have a right to "out" myself but I do not have the right to talk about other peoples personal details. When I have been upset (perhaps manic?), I have disclosed more about others than I should have. That was a factor in deleting two previous accounts. Also, at 55, I am not going to get a job (like going into the military or CIA ) that requires a security clearance or something like that. I am at a stage in my life where I want to share some of the lessons I have learned. When you are younger, you have to be more careful not to "burn any bridges" because there are so many more paths you can travel.....

[tecomsin]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheRainbow

Yes, I worry. My mom could easily identify me from my posts because she knows my day to day life. Others could figure it out. But I don't think anyone would try to find this/find me on here. They've got better things to do with their time. I am cautious about posting things that could hurt other people who might find this so if they do they aren't hurt by it.

I'm in a similar situation except for the people involved. Fortunately most of the people who know me are pretty busy but people can get bored or have some free time on their hands and wonder if they can find me on the web.

I try not to write much about my relationships. It keeps away the possibility of hurting other people.

No. I don't really have anyone irl who I wouldn't want to find me here.

[A Hobbit]

Originally Posted by cashart10

The only times I have been concerned are times when I have been manic and paranoid. Other times I think that rationally, no one could care less about finding and reading my posts.

^ This.

When I’m revved up and paranoid I think that I could easily be identified and that I should delete my account.

When I’m more “stable” I think “there’s no way anyone could know it’s me.” And I wouldn’t really care if they did.

[tecomsin]

Originally Posted by Nowinners

I wonder if anyone already has because I have said things about my life that make me identifiable. It would not bother me for people to know about my struggles but I am trying to be more careful about giving specific information about others in my life. I see it as--I have a right to "out" myself but I do not have the right to talk about other peoples personal details. When I have been upset (perhaps manic?), I have disclosed more about others than I should have. That was a factor in deleting two previous accounts. Also, at 55, I am not going to get a job (like going into the military or CIA ) that requires a security clearance or something like that. I am at a stage in my life where I want to share some of the lessons I have learned. When you are younger, you have to be more careful not to "burn any bridges" because there are so many more paths you can travel.....

I'm also 55, haha, and relate to everything you wrote, esp about the right to 'out' myself but not other people who i feel responsible for. I've burned a lot of bridges without even realizing at the time what I was doing. I had a security clearance a long time ago for some research I was doing. Would never be able to get that again because of all of my hospitalizations and psychoses. I was a productive member of society until I wasn't anymore. Sometimes I get some long lost email from former contacts of one form or another because I have fallen off the planet and people might wonder if I am dead or alive.

I've also written too much sometimes and that might be a sign a mental disturbance or just a coping mechanism of reaching out when i am struggling.

[SorryShaped]

People could, and have. I'm the same everywhere, including Facebook. I even cross-post sometimes between here and FB. If they don't like what I'm going through, then they don't have to look, or they can look and maybe they'll understand. I was confronted irl once about something from here, but told them it's how I really feel about about it. They played victim with "I never knew you" but that's only because they never tried. I don't friend family on Facebook, because I'm opinionated and have problems with politics/religion/conventions/etc and they will berate me in person.

[tecomsin]

Originally Posted by cashart10

The only times I have been concerned are times when I have been manic and paranoid. Other times I think that rationally, no one could care less about finding and reading my posts.

Not everyone is rational and some people might just get caught up in a curiousity until that curiousness goes away and their attention moves on to other things. I have been a bit paranoid recently...

Mostly nauseous though. Did manage to get down some breakfast and drink a glass of water so I am really proud of that.

Sometimes it is really all I can do to just keep moving from one moment to another. I am very anxious today again like yesterday, barely got down some dinner but happily I am dropping a few pounds and that is ok as long as I eat and drink enough.

I am getting up early in the morning and going to sleep quite early. I have neuropathy at night so it is easier just to fall asleep. I get psychosomatic symptoms of stress and have to push through them just to function at a basic level and run an errand or two today. My ankle hurts and shoulder does too. It's a old rotator cuff injury that came back and i amdoing physio at home every day and it is slowly getting better, at least not worse. I hadn't kept up with my exercises.

[liveforsummer]

Yes I get paranoid being on here sometimes.I don’t think it would cross my families/friends minds to try looking for me this way. Those close to me may get a hint by my user name. Even if they found me I think most if not all of my posts have just been me being honest in those moments. Would likely be an eye opener to some and perhaps start a good dialogue.

[Guiness187055]

I really don't care if someone finds me on this site. This site helps me with my mental health.

[Nammu]

I don't worry about it too much, I don't post deeply reveling stories. Mostly there is no one who would care enough to look, family is too busy. But in times of paranoia I worry about the " government " finding me.

I worry about it all the time- and I read the new members list quite often to see if their's anyone I recognize

if someone I know did find me, I'd be angry that they have, and angry that they are reading about me- but also confident in the knolledge that actually, they wouldn't really care.

I could write somewhere I had the worst luck in the world and probably not be payed any attention to the people who know me.

their's.... 2 people on here, I think, that know me (but I introduced them)

one's a lady from australia who barely comes on here, the other is someone not far from me- and if she did say anything about me, I'd read it and be super angry.

[rwwff]

I'm with the others here thinking that no one would really care enough to come looking for me, and there's really nothing all that unique about what I write here; as little as that is these days.

If someone did find me on here, I'd just shrug it off, it'd be of no importance to anything.

[tecomsin]

My life is boring but unmistakable after a certain number of facts. If I just tell the facts of my life some of them are quite bizarre. I think leading up to my arrest last year I may well have been followed on social media. Actually I know this as a matter of fact, but I don't know how far the investigation went. I didn't change my username here but deleted some social media accounts for good. This is a place I come for healing. I write more when kind of stressed out but that is par for the course with bipolar.

I keep telling myself that I am lucky to be alive and get sunshine in my eyes even though the sun was making me nauseous today. All the news about climate change is making me feel sick sometimes too. It brings back that feeling of helplessness being so mistreated as a child by my parents. But they are not part of my life anymore so it is all on how I cope with those feelings which rose up today.

[MickeyCheeky]

((((Everyone)))) I do like my privacy. But I don't think I'm doing anything bad by posting here...

[tecomsin]

Originally Posted by MickeyCheeky

((((Everyone)))) I do like my privacy. But I don't think I'm doing anything bad by posting here...

Yes I'm the same way. I don't use facebook only messenger because of privacy concerns. I prefer to post anonymously like here on PC and a few other forums. When I'm feeling weak it reminds me of a whole world of people who are struggling and coping with this illness. For me my illnesses have been almost a horror show. Finding out you have lung cancer from a random xray in your early 50s. Losing the ability to work due to mental illness in my 40s. But I am still here holding it together some days better than others.

[Wild Coyote]

Originally Posted by tecomsin

Not everyone is rational and some people might just get caught up in a curiousity until that curiousness goes away and their attention moves on to other things. I have been a bit paranoid recently...

Mostly nauseous though. Did manage to get down some breakfast and drink a glass of water so I am really proud of that.

Sometimes it is really all I can do to just keep moving from one moment to another. I am very anxious today again like yesterday, barely got down some dinner but happily I am dropping a few pounds and that is ok as long as I eat and drink enough.

I am getting up early in the morning and going to sleep quite early. I have neuropathy at night so it is easier just to fall asleep. I get psychosomatic symptoms of stress and have to push through them just to function at a basic level and run an errand or two today. My ankle hurts and shoulder does too. It's a old rotator cuff injury that came back and i amdoing physio at home every day and it is slowly getting better, at least not worse. I hadn't kept up with my exercises.

I hope you feel better soon!

WC

[Wild Coyote]

I am not too concerned about anyone finding me here. Nobody, except for H, knows I come here. I do not use my username anywhere else and I do not share my user name with anyone.
I either do not give details or I slightly change minute details, which in no way misrepresents the point I am trying to express. I am simply trying to protect my privacy.


WC

[tecomsin]

Those are all good points, WC about protecting privacy, which is the main reason i avoid facebook and instagram and only have an anonymous twitter account which only focusses on one subject.

I don't use the same usernames on different forums unless they are on the same subject. I don't tell people my usernames and leave out lots of details when I post. I think it takes an odd person to go poking around on mental health forums to see if they can find someone they know but there are lots of odd people out there and I am sure it happens at least occasionally.

[Faltering]

I'm not worried. I don't really reveal anything identifying. I don't have this username anywhere else.

Not a tiny bit. One of the posters on this thread is also on my fb actually. I an very open as a person and there is nothing I would post on PC that I wouldnt post on fb. Note this is a newer acct for me, so I'm answering based on my overall interactions.