[Hellion]

Ok so at the risk of coming off as a complete idiot, how does one know if someone is trolling or otherwise trying to upset people? and what are you supposed to do? I guess I am not sure I am in much position to judge whether that is going on or I just take things personally and should just stop typing before I bother people.

Is there any way to discuss this with like a moderator instead of having to put all the details in my thread? guess I just want to determine if its me taking things personally or if its really inappropriate trolling that's damaging to the whole forum. Sorry if this thread is in the wrong place or I am going about asking about the issue wrong.

I was thinking I should just leave it alone and just ignore that thread, but if I am not in the wrong by taking it too personally and it is trolling or something I don't want anyone else being upset by it.

[lynn P.]

I've come across a few and got tangled in the mess because they usually bring out the protective person in me. Unless they violate a guideline there isn't much we can do. You can report the post if they've said something and you can voice your concerns to the moderator of that forum. Some say "don't feed the trolls" because they thrive on reactions and attention - I know that's easier said than done. Take it from me, "fellow troll slayer" lol. Had to bring some humor with that one.

[Hellion]

Originally Posted by lynn P.

I've come across a few and got tangled in the mess because they usually bring out the protective person in me. Unless they violate a guideline there isn't much we can do. You can report the post if they've said something and you can voice your concerns to the moderator of that forum. Some say "don't feed the trolls" because they thrive on reactions and attention - I know that's easier said than done. Take it from me, "fellow troll slayer" lol. Had to bring some humor with that one.

Yeah I guess I am not sure whether they violated any guidelines or not...I feel like they did, but with my current mental state not so sure I can take that as actual proof. Besides I probably was clear enough in the thread about how I felt about it....uhh I guess I just hate when I end up feeling left out on a mental health site because someone seems like their being nasty to me or others.

I have been banned from other forums for being on the receiving end of trolling...I figure whoever ran the site assumed it would be easier to get rid of me than enforce the site guidelines..that time there was no question about it breaking site rules though.

[unaluna]

You do NOT have to respond to everyone here. Your first responsibility is to yourself, to protect yourself. I have talked this over with my t and the moderators here. If something upsets you, stay away. Or tell yourself, yeah, I think they are a troll. You are entitled to your judgment. That is how you protect yourself from a con. Your parents should have taught you how to do this. Mine didn't! They would con me, fool me in order to control me, then laugh at me for falling for their tricks, and tell me that "strangers" were out to hurt me. But family seemed out to hurt me first! What could strangers do that family hadn't already done? What's worse, if strangers lie to you, or if family lies to you? Protect yourself first. Other people have the responsibility to take care of themselves. If you suspect a troll, you can report the thread to a moderator by using the triangle? But it might not be a troll - some people just have very different values.

[FooZe]

Originally Posted by Hellion

Is there any way to discuss this with like a moderator instead of having to put all the details in my thread? guess I just want to determine if its me taking things personally or if its really inappropriate trolling that's damaging to the whole forum.

You're welcome to PM someone on the Community Support Team but it's usually faster to use the Report button () next to one of the posts in question. The Report function gives you a text box where you can describe your concerns about the post, the poster, and whatever else they've been posting recently. We discuss those reports among ourselves and take whatever action we decide is most appropriate. We look at how the post(s) fit(s) with our Community Guidelines, especially with this part:

Originally Posted by DocJohn

This is, first and foremost, a self-help support community. That means if your message (post or PM) isn't about offering support to another person or asking for it, it's potentially not appropriate for our community.

As DocJohn has mentioned several times, we can't possibly read every post in these forums ourselves. We appreciate members pointing out things that we might need to look at.

[pegasus]

Yes good advice above! Use the ignore function to keep yourself safe and be mindful that any trolls that do slip through the net here, tend not to stay long!

[pachyderm]

Why would a troll need to be a troll? Ever think about it?