[Ygrec23]

Most people who start threads would like to see as many people as possible post on their thread(s). Does anyone start a thread to talk to themselves? I don't think so. But it seems (to me, at least) that many people who start threads don't devote more than three seconds to thinking up a thread title that will intrigue people and generate a desire to participate by posting. It's frequently almost impossible to figure out what a thread is about from its title. And it shouldn't be that way. A thread title should be both informative and enticing. It should make the idle PC member flipping through "new posts" want to know more about what people are saying on that particular topic.

I know for a fact that there are many who are discouraged after posting threads in which few people participate. And they wonder about why this should happen. When the answer is right in front of their nose: your thread title is your advertisement, your come-on, your banner, your message to the world. If your thread title doesn't spark interest you might as well not have started a new thread. Want participation? Work on that title until you've got something that Madison Avenue would approve of. Think that's below your dignity? Then forget starting new threads. Sure, once you get a reputation for interesting threads (like Pachyderm and others I could name), you don't have to try as hard. But until then (and that means most of us), THREAD TITLES COUNT.

Think about it. And take care!

[SoupDragon]

Thought I'd respond as I did read your thread.

I guess for me sometimes psychologically I am in a better place than at other times. Sometimes I am looking for a great indepth discussion, exploration of issues and I may feel more able to think about a title. However at other times, for me it is just a case of wanting to know I am not alone on this planet and then just the first thing I can think of springs into my head - at those times for me it is not possible to think objectively in terms of my "advert".

Also in terms of replying to threads, sometimes I feel in a place where I have energy and want to give advice and support others who may be expressing a need, other times if I myself am having a tough time, I may actively avoid those posts as I feel unable to give and don't want to feel more overwhelmed.

I do take your point though in terms of titles and which threads catch my eye.

[pegasus]

Not sure this is the right forum for your observations but I have to say that some people are in the depths of despair and the fact they are reaching out at all is the best thing ever. Someone who is seriously depressed isn't going to sit there thinking how catchy the title needs to be. This ain't the tabloid newspapers, it's a support forum for people in need of help.

[Ygrec23]

Originally Posted by SoupDragon

However at other times, for me it is just a case of wanting to know I am not alone on this planet and then just the first thing I can think of springs into my head - at those times for me it is not possible to think objectively in terms of my "advert".

Hey, Soup!

I knew I'd run into the problem of people thinking I was advocating "Campbell's Soup" type advertising, something everyone looks down on and no one wants to be associated with. Of course, I didn't mean in any way to drag down the moral value of the reasons and motivations PC members have to seek the input of others. But, unfortunately, getting people's attention and making them desirous of participating relies for the most part on exploiting age-old human wishes and needs that no one has ever done as well as those who are paid to write advertising copy. (And no, just for the record, that's something I've never been involved with.)

You say that there are times when "it is just a case of wanting to know I am not alone on this planet." And that at such times you can't "think objectively." I'd respond, my friend, that it's ESPECIALLY at such times, times "when you want to know you're not alone on this planet," that you need to invest your best effort into a thread title.

Do I realize what I'm saying? Yes. To a great degree. When I too (or anyone, for that matter) wants/desires/desperately needs "affirmation," I (or anyone else) don't want to put on an act, to "tap dance" for insincere reactions. I want people, friends to react to who I really am (are you listening, Mom?), not to some desperately hokey "act" that I put on. Which would certainly nix a Madison Avenue approach.

And yet there's a trade-off here that has to be acknowledged. Unless I get across my message, fewer people will come to my party. But if I'm just "me," without the neon lights of creative phrasing, no one may come. I guess if one is willing to risk that, one can publish the most opaque threads and just challenge people to come. It's kind of a dare. I'll write my thread title in Hungarian and we'll see if people react. If they do, they really care for me. If not, then at least I know the truth.

I wonder. I really do. I wonder if people's participation and response despite impenetrable phraseology means "they care." I've thought about this and I can't answer it right now. I just don't know. I well understand the resistance to "false self" wording, the desire to be affirmed as to who one "really" is. I just don't know if creative titling detracts from such affirmation or just indicates an acceptance of human nature. Only one's mother will/would have/should have loved and affirmed you in that manner. Is it really fair to expect that kind of affirmation from others? Take care.

[Ygrec23]

Originally Posted by pegasus

Not sure this is the right forum for your observations but I have to say that some people are in the depths of despair and the fact they are reaching out at all is the best thing ever. Someone who is seriously depressed isn't going to sit there thinking how catchy the title needs to be. This ain't the tabloid newspapers, it's a support forum for people in need of help.

You're of course quite right, Pegasus. I was by no means indicating, and should have made it more clear, that I wasn't referring to people in desperate straits who, of course, can't be expected to think about creative phrasing for their thread titles. But the majority of threads aren't posted by desperate PC members. They're posted by PC members who are wondering about things or want to share thoughts or feelings with other members.

And for those people I think my observations have relevance. I've seen way too many people here on PC feel terribly rejected because only very few posted on their threads. And I thought that what I have said did indeed need to be said, for their benefit. Are there all that many threads here on PC that get neglected? Not in my personal experience. But I do read the constant complaints of others who do feel that way. And who might be helped by my suggestions.

No. This isn't a tabloid newspaper. But if members want attention, they might well do better to exert greater effort in labelling their calls to others.

Take care!

[gma45]

I care! No one can take the place of my Mother. A little human conversation and compassion does help at times! Regardless of the thread title,but I get your point!

[Open Eyes]

Well, your advice does have food for thought. It is often hard to start a thread depending on what issue someone is dealing with. I have only started a couple and I was not expecting much of a response at the time. I was so dam busy fighting constant crippling anxiety that I didn't understand and I just came to PC and read and posted thoughts and replies.

So for me personally, trying to understand what I had and how to explain it not only to myself but others was my major goal. I really had a hard time understanding what I had and how I could not seem to control it. I still have the word frustrated under my name and I have to say, that is what it has been for me in every way. It is so amazing to me that a part of my brain was somehow containing so many emotions even though I had thought that I had coped and lived through so many things. And to have someone not recognize or understand it was so painful. I was attacking it with a vengence and it was so painful, and is still hard to understand. It is like being suddenly thrown into some twilight zone that is within yourself that is so incredibly
difficult to comprehend. And just to see the words that come from someone somewhere saying, me too, was so important.

I am grateful for those that put up the interesting topics for discussion in different threads. Because the one thing I felt helped was using my brain in response to those to slow down the overwhelming, crippling flow of emotions that were hidden within layers and layers of my life experiences that were traumatic to me. I had really thought I had coped through so much and seeing that it had caused so much injury to my brain was hard to face. I had slowly become aware of so many triggers that I never truely realized I had. And the need or extreme desire to hybernate during this process was overwhelming. It is scarey to not truely know how your own mind and body is going to react to some unknown trigger that may be set off by anyone or anything.

And to have someone at PC that is paying attention and can tell me that I am having a bad day or that I am doing better is amazing to me. And then after I had been working at it for so many days and weeks that turned into a few months that felt like an eternity, someone came to me and said, your doing better, at first your posts were difficult to read as they were like a locomotion of thoughts. And that evaluation was so dead on. It allowed me to recognize that I was making progress through a line of crippling emotions that were waiting to finally be addressed.

It was very sad to look at all those hidden layers. And I really feel sorry for that little girl that tried so very hard. I had developed so many rituals to self sooth that I had no idea it was more about surpression and a constant containment of fear. I still cannot find the accurate word to describe the sense of shame and insecurity that is presented in the process of truley unfolding the layers that were thought to be somehow already dealt with.

Open Eyes

[unaluna]

One thing I notice people do, esp when they have a pretty specific question, and that I will respond to, is they put the word "help" in the title.

[lynn P.]

Point well taken Ygrec23. Once I've done my regular supporting, I often click on 'Search' which is to the right of New Posts and scroll down to 'unanswered threads' to answer threads which have no replies.

Maybe next time I start a thread I'll title it "Won The Lottery And Want To Share", just kidding lol

[gma45]

Originally Posted by lynn P.

Point well taken Ygrec23. Once I've done my regular supporting, I often click on 'Search' which is to the right of New Posts and scroll down to 'unanswered threads' to answer threads which have no replies.

Maybe next time I start a thread I'll title it "Won The Lottery And Want To Share", just kidding lol

Then we will all know why you are on this site! Lynn you make me smile! thanks!

As the Guidelines state, Psych Central is a small community devoted to support for mental health and relationship issues. I go to the forums I frequent and peruse the threads to see if there is some support I might add.

I do not view the titles as a competition to get the attention of members.

[Indie'sOK]

I have to agree...I'm more apt to look at a thread with a title that gives detail about its topic. It catches the interest of others, naturally. I understand that people who have difficulty reaching out might not be comfortable posting much more than a "need help" in the title, but for non-urgent threads such as those in the News Discussion forum, it does indeed mean a lot. Would you rather read a news article with a descriptive, eye-catching title, or one that says nothing more than "read me" or something equally bland and redundant?

Not attacking anyone, these are just my thoughts.

[Ygrec23]

PC's continuing purpose may well be, and probably is, offering aid and comfort to those in great pain and confusion. And for all members in such a state, no great efforts should be required or advised in the matter of labelling a post that is a cry for help.

But PC is more than just an answering-place receptive to those in immediate, deep distress. Though I haven't counted, it does seem to me that the majority of posts in PC are made by individuals not in immediate dire straits, but by people seeking information, friendship and in many cases (regarding games and other topics) just normal fun. And for those folks, a bit of reflection on their thread title would probably translate into a greater number of responses, which is what they want.

Most members of PC are not only willing, but anxious, to help all those who present themselves here as desperately in pain and sorely in need of intelligent, sympathetic advice. At the same time, some members of PC appear to want to use their desire to be of service not only to bolster their own feelings about themselves but to declare themselves superior to those not as seriously devoted (they think) as themselves to the welfare of others.

I suppose that having a certain percentage of such self-satisfied, puffed-up members is expectable in any human activity with philanthropic aims. Which doesn't mean to say that their self-attributed airs and graces need be taken seriously by their less inflated co-members who, while doing exactly the same things, don't insistently demand recognition of the absolute purity of their motives or the superiority of their devotion.

If you want as many as possible to read and respond to your posts, make the thread titles as interesting and intriguing as possible. Simple. Easy. Non-confrontational. And not applying to anyone on the edge of a cliff.

Well-stated, Ygrec23. Could be the introduction to an autobiography.

[pegasus]

Originally Posted by Ygrec23

PC's continuing purpose may well be, and probably is, offering aid and comfort to those in great pain and confusion. And for all members in such a state, no great efforts should be required or advised in the matter of labelling a post that is a cry for help.

But PC is more than just an answering-place receptive to those in immediate, deep distress. Though I haven't counted, it does seem to me that the majority of posts in PC are made by individuals not in immediate dire straits, but by people seeking information, friendship and in many cases (regarding games and other topics) just normal fun. And for those folks, a bit of reflection on their thread title would probably translate into a greater number of responses, which is what they want.

Most members of PC are not only willing, but anxious, to help all those who present themselves here as desperately in pain and sorely in need of intelligent, sympathetic advice. At the same time, some members of PC appear to want to use their desire to be of service not only to bolster their own feelings about themselves but to declare themselves superior to those not as seriously devoted (they think) as themselves to the welfare of others.

I suppose that having a certain percentage of such self-satisfied, puffed-up members is expectable in any human activity with philanthropic aims. Which doesn't mean to say that their self-attributed airs and graces need be taken seriously by their less inflated co-members who, while doing exactly the same things, don't insistently demand recognition of the absolute purity of their motives or the superiority of their devotion.

If you want as many as possible to read and respond to your posts, make the thread titles as interesting and intriguing as possible. Simple. Easy. Non-confrontational. And not applying to anyone on the edge of a cliff.

Sounds like a lecture to me. How do you know that some or most PC members feel this or that way. These feelings you have of certain members who you think are 'self-satisfied' or 'puffed up' or declare themselves more 'superior' than others?

I have to say I have read an awful lot threads over the years here and it really didn't matter what the thread title was. I wonder why this matters to you so much.

Let's not lecture people here, any thread title will do, even a '...' thread title is better than keeping all those feelings inside.

PS. You will note that I'm not underlining any of my views in red.

Take care.

[DocJohn]

I will come down somewhere in the middle of this discussion and say this --

Thread titles that are informative or talk about the subject of your post are very helpful to others who may be interested in reading what you have to say and reply.

Thread titles that are nothing or generic may be read less often by fewer people, because they have no clue as to whether the post is within their area of interest or not.

I would encourage people to use descriptive thread titles when forming a post. It helps everyone when one does so. I don't think they have to be sexy or "intriguing." I just think they need to be descriptive of the post you're posting.

However, we will not force members to do so, nor are we changing any of our policies around this. This is just a suggestion.

Best,
DocJohn

[lynn P.]

I agree and I took Ygrec's OP as a lighthearted statement. I admit catchy titles attract my attention but aren't essential and I'll answer threads which even have just dots like this "...." on them lol. Although this is a support site - there's also some very interesting educational threads, strictly fun ones and news based threads.

[sunrise]

I don't try to make my titles intriguing, but informative about what my thread is about. I do this as a courtesy to people to help them identify threads they are interested in. It also helps bring the people who may be able to help me the most to my thread. There are so many threads to read and so little time! So I appreciate when the title is informative so I know whether it is "up my alley" or not. I don't necessarily single out the most interesting or intriguing threads to read but the ones of interest to me. Sometimes there are threads with titles like, "Not again", "Thinking", "Can't Do It", "I don't know," etc. I am less apt to click on these threads as the titles are vague and I don't know what they are about and my attention naturally turns to those that are on topics I can relate to or that I think I can add to the conversation about. For example, instead of "Can't Do It", the person could title the thread, "Having trouble quitting my job," and then I would be more likely to read the thread because I have been in that hard situation and also I am interested in career issues. I post in the psychotherapy forum a lot where there is a ton of traffic so descriptive (not intriguing, not interesting) titles help me a lot. For example, it is not uncommon for a person to label their thread "My session," and this is very descriptive/informative, although not catchy or intriguing. So I consider that a good title.

That said, I also understand that it is hard sometime to even start a new thread and it can be beyond one's energy to think of a descriptive title. When threads say "help", I am also more apt to click on them.

I think some of the most uninformative titles are the ones about online chats here. They say, "Chat tonight" and don't say what day it is. I have gone to chat and found out later the chat was a day or two before, LOL. To those who start threads advertising chats, I would suggest putting the date in your title. Sure, a person could click on the thread and read the date in the first post, but it's really just a courtesy to put it in your title so people don't have to do that extra sleuthing.

[cin1]

Originally Posted by Ygrec23

Hey, Soup!

I knew I'd run into the problem of people thinking I was advocating "Campbell's Soup" type advertising, something everyone looks down on and no one wants to be associated with. Of course, I didn't mean in any way to drag down the moral value of the reasons and motivations PC members have to seek the input of others. But, unfortunately, getting people's attention and making them desirous of participating relies for the most part on exploiting age-old human wishes and needs that no one has ever done as well as those who are paid to write advertising copy. (And no, just for the record, that's something I've never been involved with.)

You say that there are times when "it is just a case of wanting to know I am not alone on this planet." And that at such times you can't "think objectively." I'd respond, my friend, that it's ESPECIALLY at such times, times "when you want to know you're not alone on this planet," that you need to invest your best effort into a thread title.

Do I realize what I'm saying? Yes. To a great degree. When I too (or anyone, for that matter) wants/desires/desperately needs "affirmation," I (or anyone else) don't want to put on an act, to "tap dance" for insincere reactions. I want people, friends to react to who I really am (are you listening, Mom?), not to some desperately hokey "act" that I put on. Which would certainly nix a Madison Avenue approach.

And yet there's a trade-off here that has to be acknowledged. Unless I get across my message, fewer people will come to my party. But if I'm just "me," without the neon lights of creative phrasing, no one may come. I guess if one is willing to risk that, one can publish the most opaque threads and just challenge people to come. It's kind of a dare. I'll write my thread title in Hungarian and we'll see if people react. If they do, they really care for me. If not, then at least I know the truth.

I wonder. I really do. I wonder if people's participation and response despite impenetrable phraseology means "they care." I've thought about this and I can't answer it right now. I just don't know. I well understand the resistance to "false self" wording, the desire to be affirmed as to who one "really" is. I just don't know if creative titling detracts from such affirmation or just indicates an acceptance of human nature. Only one's mother will/would have/should have loved and affirmed you in that manner. Is it really fair to expect that kind of affirmation from others? Take care.

i can't read Hungarian I don't think, but i care. my mother was so wrapped up in herself she never affirmed any one else.

[cin1]

Originally Posted by TheByzantine

Well-stated, Ygrec23. Could be the introduction to an autobiography.

i don't believe that.

[cin1]

Originally Posted by Ygrec23

Most people who start threads would like to see as many people as possible post on their thread(s). Does anyone start a thread to talk to themselves? I don't think so. But it seems (to me, at least) that many people who start threads don't devote more than three seconds to thinking up a thread title that will intrigue people and generate a desire to participate by posting. It's frequently almost impossible to figure out what a thread is about from its title. And it shouldn't be that way. A thread title should be both informative and enticing. It should make the idle PC member flipping through "new posts" want to know more about what people are saying on that particular topic.

I know for a fact that there are many who are discouraged after posting threads in which few people participate. And they wonder about why this should happen. When the answer is right in front of their nose: your thread title is your advertisement, your come-on, your banner, your message to the world. If your thread title doesn't spark interest you might as well not have started a new thread. Want participation? Work on that title until you've got something that Madison Avenue would approve of. Think that's below your dignity? Then forget starting new threads. Sure, once you get a reputation for interesting threads (like Pachyderm and others I could name), you don't have to try as hard. But until then (and that means most of us), THREAD TITLES COUNT.

Think about it. And take care!

I haven't been to Madison Avenue and don't care to go. I don't ask for their approval or any one esle's. i do have dignity but i don't know of too much that is below it. Guess I may need to raise that dignity some ...

Wow, a non-believer. I would not be surprised to see a guideline on this.

[(JD)]

I agree ygrec! I try to make good subject lines, try to avoid saying the same thing someone else has etc. But, yes, I have been paid to write copy in my past life.

I just figure everyone is doing the best they can for the day. But I 'm glad there are members like you who care enough to try and help with a little educative suggestion now and then.

TC!

[lizardlady]

Ygrec, what about when the poster does put thought into a "catchy" title and they still don't get many responses? It's happened to me. I tend to get discouraged and wonder why I bothered.

[krisakira]

I usually go to the "Today's Posts" list, and from there, hover over each one and the beginning of the thread shows so that i have a little more understanding of what the thread is about. It helps me choose which threads to read.