[bondgirl]

You should have a like and dislike button for comments.

[vans1974]

I "like" this idea!

[ResaLock]

LOL I thought the same thing yesterday...err the day before... I think I may of mentioned it, or started to...I know a started some replies and did not post them...

but anyway...I questioned if this was a habit because of FB...then I thought, NO!

I want to click like on a comment, because its sometimes not a hug response or thanks that would be fitting on a reply.

...and I thought...Why don't they have a, "like" button. I don't think its fitting though to have a dislike button. Thats understandable.

[ResaLock]

Originally Posted by vans1974

I "like" this idea!

this is me clicking, "like" "CLICK-LIKE"

[ResaLock]

Originally Posted by bondgirl

You should have a like and dislike button for comments.

this is me clicking, "like" "CLICK-LIKE" lol

[bondgirl]

I know the thanks or hugs button just isn't the same!

[IowaFarmGal]

They tried that a while ago. I think I still have a setting to activate or not activate it in my options. I didn't really use it because I thought the hugs and thanks are more expressive.

[eleckra69]

I like the idea and especially the "dislike" button! I'm brand new here and I would love to hit dislike too many of the comments and remarks on here!

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by bondgirl

You should have a like and dislike button for comments.

great idea but I dont think it would be good,

A because this is a mental health website who's rules are all posts are supposed to be supportive...how is clicking dislike going to make other members feel especially if that member has a mental problem where one of their symptoms is low self esteem (example their self talk may reflect...see that that person doesnt like me I was right in not liking me too) Depression (their internal talk may reflect something like what did I do wrong, I cant even post so everyone likes me and my posts why bother I might as well....and end up in suicidal modes) or even a member with a mental disorder where paranoia is a symptom (omg that person clicked dislike, are they out to get me, are they stalking me are they going to harm me....)

no I dont think a dislike button is needed on a mental health support oriented website is needed...

B the standard here is if you dont like something or someone to either not post in that thread or place the poster on ignore so you dont have to deal with posts you have a problem with..

C. members already use the thanks button and hugs and pming to let each other know they like the post, there is also smilies members can place in their posts. the smilies are to the right of the posting box while you are writing your post.

[-jimi-]

Would you really want a dislike button, OP. What if I had used it for your post?

As for a Like button... this aint Facebook. I mean, it would be so weird here. Say someone feels depressed and their BF left them, and I LIKE it..? Does it mean I like that they shared it.. or do I actually like that their BF left?

I assume you "like" even negative things on FB.... to me that doesn't make sense.

[Sabrina]

We had a like button here for a while. It was deactivated due to lack of popularity.

[Maven]

I find it a little annoying to click "Like" over and over again on Facebook. I mean, it's a quick way to tell someone you agree with them, but I feel like I'm wasting time with all the liking. I do it, because that's how it is on FB, but I prefer just leaving a comment to share how I feel.

[DocJohn]

While I think it's a great suggestion in general, it's not one that I think would do well here in a community for emotional support. What if you wrote a very thoughtful reply to someone, and then it got 10 "dislikes"? How would that make people feel, when they come here for emotional support??

We like to try and emulate the real world in our community as much as possible, since we're dealing with people's real feelings and emotions here. In the real world, you can't just click a button to tell someone you dislike their comment to you. You have to find a way to formulate a response that shares that in a respectful and thoughtful way.

We hope people can use our online community in a similar manner, maybe even building those social skills that could come in handy in the real world too.

Best,
DocJohn

[bondgirl]

Originally Posted by DocJohn

While I think it's a great suggestion in general, it's not one that I think would do well here in a community for emotional support. What if you wrote a very thoughtful reply to someone, and then it got 10 "dislikes"? How would that make people feel, when they come here for emotional support??

We like to try and emulate the real world in our community as much as possible, since we're dealing with people's real feelings and emotions here. In the real world, you can't just click a button to tell someone you dislike their comment to you. You have to find a way to formulate a response that shares that in a respectful and thoughtful way.

We hope people can use our online community in a similar manner, maybe even building those social skills that could come in handy in the real world too.

Best,
DocJohn

Okay, what about just a "like" button?

Originally Posted by bondgirl

Okay, what about just a "like" button?

There is a "Thanks" button.

It seems to serve a similar purpose, but fit more in with a support theme.

Originally Posted by bondgirl

I know the thanks or hugs button just isn't the same!

I'm not sure they are meant to be the same, is the thing.
This is a community focused around support. Since it is populated by people and people are often by nature social, there will be many social aspects to interaction.

But it isn't like facebook. On Facebook, topics and issues "trend" and people sometimes post outrageous, humorous or even shocking things to garner more "likes"... a "like" on facebook is akin to saying "wow, this is cool, it got my attention", etc.

On PC, a Hug is pretty obviously support.
Thanks, *I* feel, are different than Like: when you thank someone, you demonstrate that you appreciate their input. What they have said or presented is valuable and relevant to the issue at hand and beneficial ro you or the thread or the community as a whole.

It's appreciation for a point of view or idea being offered. I don't have to actually LIKE [really enjoy] someone's point that they make to still appreciate it. But sometimes when you are being supportive you have to say tough things and hear tough things.

If we changed the "thanks" to "like", than people might not end up hearing some very helpful things that might be a bit difficult to communicate... because it would be more difficult to express the idea I am presenting here.

Just maybe something to consider, it is what I consider when i think that I probably don't personally see a "like" button making much sense here.

[curelifewithhope]

I do not agree with this..because people here mostly have mental disorders and many can hurt their feelings when they get dislike.
there is no good in that system. maybe just have like button only. if you like it you can express, if you don't like it just go away.

[-jimi-]

We have 2 buttons already. We could get a whole lot more so we never have to type a real answer...

[Fuzzybear]

[CrimsonBlues]

Originally Posted by jimi...

We have 2 buttons already. We could get a whole lot more so we never have to type a real answer...

I agree. I think that the "Thanks" and "Hugs" options cover things pretty well unless someone wishes to take the time to provide a more detailed response. I'm not sure why a "like" option would be more apt than a "thanks" option. And I completely disagree with the "dislike" option. As other people have stated, receiving a dislike option would likely cause the person who received it to feel hurt. I know I would feel hurt if I received a dislike. If you disagree with something someone wrote-and feel strongly enough to want to tell them that you disagree-it seems that the more appropriate thing to do would be to explain your thoughts and feelings in a respectful way instead of merely clicking a button. I can see why the like/dislike option might be more useful or handy in other forums, in other environments, but in my opinion it doesn't work in this one.

[unaluna]

Just having to push thanks instead of like makes it more human - youre saying, thank YOU for making that joke or sharing that idea, instead of just saying, oh i like THAT - as if it were a thing without a person behind it.

[Fuzzybear]

Originally Posted by CrimsonBlues

I agree. I think that the "Thanks" and "Hugs" options cover things pretty well unless someone wishes to take the time to provide a more detailed response. I'm not sure why a "like" option would be more apt than a "thanks" option. And I completely disagree with the "dislike" option. As other people have stated, receiving a dislike option would likely cause the person who received it to feel hurt. I know I would feel hurt if I received a dislike. If you disagree with something someone wrote-and feel strongly enough to want to tell them that you disagree-it seems that the more appropriate thing to do would be to explain your thoughts and feelings in a respectful way instead of merely clicking a button. I can see why the like/dislike option might be more useful or handy in other forums, in other environments, but in my opinion it doesn't work in this one.

[DocJohn]

I'll just add, we've been around a lot longer than Facebook, hence the reason we have the buttons we do -- thanks and hugs. Both seem more in keeping with an emotional support community, rather than a social networking site.

We're kinda both, but again, we hope our members engage in more genuine interactions. I think the options we have cover most scenarios, and while I see that a Like button might add even more, I still think the potential for hurt there is immense (e.g., "How come nobody "likes" my post? Am I not good enough?" "Why does member X get all the Likes and I get none?" etc. etc.).

Again, thank you for the suggestion!

Best,
DocJohn

[Canyon]

I agree with DocJohn on this.

I was a member of another "support" site that has taken on the like button. It seems to add a sort of high school clique-ish sort of feel to the site. You have people kind of formulating posts in hopes of swaying a certain "element" of the forum and racking up likes. Then another may speak for the opposition. It seems that the side that wins is the one that gain the most likes. It adds a bad emotional/social element to the mix.

I like that they don't have the like and dislike button. I also like that they don't do popularity contest such as "poster or chatter of the month". Those things just make a lot of people feel more alienated and defective.

[gayleggg]

Originally Posted by amandalouise

great idea but I dont think it would be good,

A because this is a mental health website who's rules are all posts are supposed to be supportive...how is clicking dislike going to make other members feel especially if that member has a mental problem where one of their symptoms is low self esteem (example their self talk may reflect...see that that person doesnt like me I was right in not liking me too) Depression (their internal talk may reflect something like what did I do wrong, I cant even post so everyone likes me and my posts why bother I might as well....and end up in suicidal modes) or even a member with a mental disorder where paranoia is a symptom (omg that person clicked dislike, are they out to get me, are they stalking me are they going to harm me....)

no I dont think a dislike button is needed on a mental health support oriented website is needed...

B the standard here is if you dont like something or someone to either not post in that thread or place the poster on ignore so you dont have to deal with posts you have a problem with..

C. members already use the thanks button and hugs and pming to let each other know they like the post, there is also smilies members can place in their posts. the smilies are to the right of the posting box while you are writing your post.

I agree with this. A dislike button would be negative feedback and we should resist that.

[healingme4me]

Originally Posted by gayleggg

I agree with this. A dislike button would be negative feedback and we should resist that.

I agree, there. Sometimes, emotions, get in the way, with various postings. Cannot imagine, how much misery, could be brought about, through a 'dislike' button. As somewhere on this thread, it's mentioned, that there'd be a lot of dislikes clicked, on various postings.

I'm glad, the administration, is sticking by the initial set up, of Thanks and Hugs, and the ability to communicate through postings on threads.