[*Beth*]

...are there any forum changes you'd like to happen?

[Travelinglady]

Not off hand, but I sure wish the social groups were back the way they were.

[*Beth*]

I haven't looked into any social groups too much. The ones I'm interested in seemed slow.


Speaking of which, my hope is that in the future there will be more activity on the boards that very slow. I have no idea how to accomplish that, but maybe Healthline does.

[Fuzzybear]

this was news to me until I read this message earlier today

[bpcyclist]

No drug ads, pls. No fees

[Fuzzybear]

Originally Posted by bpcyclist

No drug ads, pls. No fees

agreed..... i would also prefer no drug ads (or fees)

eeyore and fuzzy bear

[*Beth*]

Hmmm....fees. Not something I'd thought of. Could be. I sure don't like the idea of paying a fee, because there are months when I seriously don't have $5 extra without hardship. On the other hand, I would like to see lurkers post more and those who post and disappear stick around some so we can all get to know each other.

[Merlin]

I am gone if they institute fees.

[*Beth*]

I'll be extremely surprised if there are fees. Donations, maybe (like there is now).

[bpcyclist]

Originally Posted by BethRags

Hmmm....fees. Not something I'd thought of. Could be. I sure don't like the idea of paying a fee, because there are months when I seriously don't have $5 extra without hardship. On the other hand, I would like to see lurkers post more and those who post and disappear stick around some so we can all get to know each other.

Yeah, surprised we do not get more new people.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by bpcyclist

Yeah, surprised we do not get more new people.

It surprises me, too. There's such excellent information here and opportunities for giving and getting support. Maybe Healthline will do some outreach.

[bpcyclist]

Originally Posted by BethRags

It surprises me, too. There's such excellent information here and opportunities for giving and getting support. Maybe Healthline will do some outreach.

First thing I wld tell a newly diagnosed pt, after getting pdoc and T, is Join A Support Grp! Required!!!!

I think if I could choose one forum change, it would be the ranks of the users to something more..... well, I don't know, moddern?

I always thought elder/ wise elder/ pooba etc didn't really sit right here

I guess now I think about it, email notifications when someone mentions you in a post or accepts your friendship requests

oh: and maybe changes to new users who post here.

right now they need 5 aproved posts before they are free to partisipate, and honestly I always thought 5 was a bit much.

oh:

an individual forum for agoraphobia

such a common type of anxiety

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by bpcyclist

First thing I wld tell a newly diagnosed pt, after getting pdoc and T, is Join A Support Grp! Required!!!!

I agree 100%.

[Fuzzybear]

I like it that people are thinking of possible POSITIVE changes instead of focusing on stuff that triggers.....

love to all

[Skeezyks]

I'm afraid I'm less positive about this development than most members seem to be. Healthline is, in turn, owned by some other company called: "Red Ventures", which is (it sounds to me from what little I've been able to find) what is typically referred to as a holding company. All these sorts of companies are interested in is profits.

I was on YouTube when Google bought it. Prior to that most of the members I knew had beautiful channel pages they had designed. First Google took those away & all members could decorate was the border around a large white space. Then they took that away & all you could have was a banner. The rest was simply white space again. Now, it appears, members can't even have a banner (which is okay with me, I prefer not to have one) unless you're a paying member of one sort or another. Oh, & yes you can get rid of all the ads, if you pay Google to take them away...which to me is sort-of like extortion. (Pay us or we'll fill your YouTube videos with ads.)

Anyway, I'm taking a wait-&-see attitude. But I have to say it makes me seriously uncomfortable to think about posting anything of a personal nature on a website that's owned & operated by some enigmatic corporate empire. But, then, I've never been on Facebook or Twitter or any of those sites either. So perhaps it's just me.

[Breaking Dawn]

Maybe we should just wait & see? What if
we end up with ads that help pay for everything? What would be so bad about that?

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by Skeezyks

I'm afraid I'm less positive about this development than most members seem to be. Healthline is, in turn, owned by some other company called: "Red Ventures", which is (it sounds to me from what little I've been able to find) what is typically referred to as a holding company. All these sorts of companies are interested in is profits.

I was on YouTube when Google bought it. Prior to that most of the members I knew had beautiful channel pages they had designed. First Google took those away & all members could decorate was the border around a large white space. Then they took that away & all you could have was a banner. The rest was simply white space again. Now, it appears, members can't even have a banner (which is okay with me, I prefer not to have one) unless you're a paying member of one sort or another. Oh, & yes you can get rid of all the ads, if you pay Google to take them away...which to me is sort-of like extortion. (Pay us or we'll fill your YouTube videos with ads.)

Anyway, I'm taking a wait-&-see attitude. But I have to say it makes me seriously uncomfortable to think about posting anything of a personal nature on a website that's owned & operated by some enigmatic corporate empire. But, then, I've never been on Facebook or Twitter or any of those sites either. So perhaps it's just me.

Good information to be aware of, Skeez. Format changes could be something we might have to deal with. Another "I hope not", because I like the format of PC.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by Breaking Dawn

Maybe we should just wait & see? What if
we end up with ads that help pay for everything? What would be so bad about that?

Theoretically, I don't mind a few ads. For me, the problem is when there are so many ads that content is affected (which always seems to be the case with the internet anymore). Also, when there are ads the usual option to avoid being inundated with them is to pay a monthly fee.

[*Beth*]

I don't know if anyone here has seen this. I just did. I'm pretty sure we can expect plenty of ads...."In addition to serving consumers, the acquisition will provide another trusted brand for Healthline’s direct advertising partners to reach their customers, Hallock added."

Healthline Media Acquires PsychCentral, Bolstering Healthline’s Role as the Top Digital Health Publisher | Business Wire

[Nammu]

I don’t want ads or extortion that if you pay you can be ad free. I’ll be sad if that happens and will withdraw from PC

[*Beth*]

I just read the following. Now I am concerned.

This was posted by Doc John (in General Chat):

"Regardless of whatever happens with the Psych Central Forums, please know that there'll always be online mental health communities available, even if this one isn't here in the future. I don't know what the future holds, but I'll do my best to keep you informed as things happen... I will be here for at least a year, and even if my relationship with Healthline ends, I may well stick around. The community means as much to me as it does to you and I want to ensure it has a safe and fruitful future!"

Well, if Healthline continues the PC forum in some way, great. If not ("even if this one isn't here in the future"), I haven't found any other viable mental health forums online, none at all.

I'm also wondering when we'll see the changes that are going to take place. I have been on forums that, with no warning, completely switched the format, or closed, altogether. I sure hope that doesn't happen here.

I'm working on being hopeful (i.e., telling myself that I do not see the handwriting on the wall ) and on trusting that the universe recognizes the tremendous importance of a solid online mental health support forum.

[bpcyclist]

Should we begin planning now.? We cld build our own psychcentral. Much easier than when he started it

Maybe we should see what our respective posses think. Guage the temp maybe?

If they do destroy it, it would be way better to have a plan than not have a plan. It is worrisome that noone from HL has yet written a reassuring post. For sure
I would have, Day uno.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by bpcyclist

Should we begin planning now.? We cld build our own psychcentral. Much easier than when he started it

Maybe we should see what our respective posses think. Guage the temp maybe?

If they do destroy it, it would be way better to have a plan than not have a plan.

I agree.

It is worrisome that noone from HL has yet written a reassuring post. For sure
I would have, Day uno.

Yep. Not a word from Healthline to us, and no idea of when they step in. I expect (hope) that Doc John will give us info when he feels the time is right...which I hope is soon. It would be extremely upsetting (to say the least) to come here and find that the entire site is different and the forums gone.

It's just...unfortunately, I've been through such a shock before and the best any of the members who were close to each other could do was go over to Facebook. We made a private group there. Fb was a fairly new entity back then, so it was easier to use, no ads. But losing our forum was tremendous (it was a parenting forum, very strong, like PC is). And I would feel even more of a loss, not having PC.

Time to put CBT skills to use? *I am safe and sound. All is well.*

Fingers crossedxx

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~