[kwaadlachs]

Hello everyone,

I just found this forum and intend to try to read what are people are going through and maybe even be an active poster. I just have a quick question beforehand. My apologies if this is not the right subforum.

I've recently (two weeks or so) started to finally take some actions in my life after many years of problems (besides talking to a psychiatrist) and I was now thinking about starting a Wordpress blog to just write down my thoughts of the day and how my journey is going.

I've been meaning to do this for a long time, but I just couldn't get myself to actually do it, even though I used to love writing. The plan was just to be brutally honest with myself and just get everything out of my system on a daily basis. I think I'll be somehow more motivated to write every day in a blog rather than writing aimlessly in a word file or scribbling on a piece of paper, I think because it will feel more like a journal and also the added thought that maybe someone might find it and find some strength in what I'm going through (going to write it in English, not in my native language).

I've just now signed up on WordPress but two questions came to mind after doing that:

1) I've been reading a bit about physically throwing away negative thoughts on paper. Although I certainly don't intend this blog to be a negative-thoughts-only journal, there's probably going to be a lot of that in there. Will it still be helpful or will I just perpetuate my negative thinking rather than getting it out of my system?

2) I want to be really honest and talk about things I don't talk about with anyone, even my psychiatrist. But even though I don't plan to use real names or anything like that, I do suppose that someone who knows me quite well will be able to figure out that it's me, or even someone who doesn't know me so well, as I probably will write about music and movies and books as well and I do keep track of those on other sites. I also signed up using an e-mail that I use for other things, I know it's not public and my name isn't even in it, but there's a lot of computer wizards out there.

I know the chance of someone encountering my blog is already very small, as there are millions, and the chances of it being someone that knows me are astronomical, but I feel a bit paranoid. There's hardly anyone I know in real life who is aware of the true depth of my problems. And there's some really embarrassing and shameful things.

So yeah, my question is basically is it worth doing it? I was feeling a bit excited about finally starting it, but now I've kind of spooked myself.

Thanks so much for any advice.

I have a WordPress blog I started when I was severely depressed. I poured my heart out in it and shared my traumas. I actually shared it with my friends and family. It was incredibly therapeutic for me to just unload, fearlessly. I also like looking back to see how far I've come. You can make your blog public or private anytime too, depending on what you need. I think its a very healthy wag to cope.

[Skeezyks]

Hello kwaadlachs: I'm sorry I cannot comment with regard to your concerns. However, since this is your first post here on PC, I thought I would just say... welcome to PsychCentral! I hope you find the time you spend here to be of benefit. May I suggest you introduce yourself over on PC's New Member Introductions forum? Here's a link:

https://forums.psychcentral.com/new-...introductions/

There's a lot of support that can be available here on PC. The more you post, & reply to other members' posts, the more a part of the community you will become. Plus there are the chat rooms where you'll be able to interact with other PC members in real time (once your first 5 posts have been reviewed & approved.) So please keep posting!

P.S. Here are links to some articles from PsychCentral's archives on the subject of blogging. Perhaps they may be of some interest:

https://psychcentral.com/blogs/privacy.htm

https://psychcentral.com/blogs/

https://psychcentral.com/blog/can-bl...e-you-happier/

[Banny]

I too had started to write a blog when I thought I can write well. I found several benefits of writing own blog.Sometimes a blog starts out as a hobby only to become a full-time business.The only way to become a better writer is to write – pages and pages, day after day. a blog is an expressive medium that can contain words, images, and sounds. Whether your blog is a formal business affair or a personal “what-I-ate-for-breakfast-this-morning” diary, blogging is a powerful form of self-expression.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by kwaadlachs

Hello everyone,

I just found this forum and intend to try to read what are people are going through and maybe even be an active poster. I just have a quick question beforehand. My apologies if this is not the right subforum.

I've recently (two weeks or so) started to finally take some actions in my life after many years of problems (besides talking to a psychiatrist) and I was now thinking about starting a Wordpress blog to just write down my thoughts of the day and how my journey is going.

I've been meaning to do this for a long time, but I just couldn't get myself to actually do it, even though I used to love writing. The plan was just to be brutally honest with myself and just get everything out of my system on a daily basis. I think I'll be somehow more motivated to write every day in a blog rather than writing aimlessly in a word file or scribbling on a piece of paper, I think because it will feel more like a journal and also the added thought that maybe someone might find it and find some strength in what I'm going through (going to write it in English, not in my native language).

I've just now signed up on WordPress but two questions came to mind after doing that:

1) I've been reading a bit about physically throwing away negative thoughts on paper. Although I certainly don't intend this blog to be a negative-thoughts-only journal, there's probably going to be a lot of that in there. Will it still be helpful or will I just perpetuate my negative thinking rather than getting it out of my system?

2) I want to be really honest and talk about things I don't talk about with anyone, even my psychiatrist. But even though I don't plan to use real names or anything like that, I do suppose that someone who knows me quite well will be able to figure out that it's me, or even someone who doesn't know me so well, as I probably will write about music and movies and books as well and I do keep track of those on other sites. I also signed up using an e-mail that I use for other things, I know it's not public and my name isn't even in it, but there's a lot of computer wizards out there.

I know the chance of someone encountering my blog is already very small, as there are millions, and the chances of it being someone that knows me are astronomical, but I feel a bit paranoid. There's hardly anyone I know in real life who is aware of the true depth of my problems. And there's some really embarrassing and shameful things.

So yeah, my question is basically is it worth doing it? I was feeling a bit excited about finally starting it, but now I've kind of spooked myself.

Thanks so much for any advice.

something you may not be aware of... online blogs are not as safe as most think. if you are able to find the blog online through a google search, that means the creator of the site has enabled google search so people can find the site. which means any blog can be found by anyone around the whole world, especially if the site does not have it set up so that each person blogging controls whether their blog is search able by search engines like google in their own blog settings. (my wife discovered this when she was looking for blog options for her work related website)

for example ....

writing a blog entry....

today is january 15th...

without a setting attached to this blog that prevents google from searching the blog anyone around the whole world will see.....today is January 15th... and blog site address as one of the search results if a person typed in the word January 15th.

my point when you start a blog on the internet there is no such thing as no one will be able to find me kind of thing.... which is why most if not all internet websites that allow posting/ blogging/ vlogging have a disclaimer in the registration informing the person registering to not use their real names and dont place any personal, identifying or other information that you would not want others to know in the posts/ blogging/ vlogging.

for example if you dont want the whole world to know you have depression dont put it in your blog, because anyone that types in to google the word depression will get your blog entry as one of their search results.

last I knew word press did not protect their users from google or other like search engines.

that said only you can decide whether you want to blog or not, and if you decide to continue with this check out blog sites to make sure its a site where you can set your own settings in the blog for privacy at the levels of privacy you want for example if you dont want anyone to see your blog post then set the post at only you get to see it. if its a blog you want the whole world to see then set the blog posting at everyone has access.

what my wife ended up doing is supplying links where people on her website can download free writing programs and then do their blogging on their own computers off the internet... google store comes with windows 10, in there, there are many free writing / blogging programs that a person can download and then write to their hearts content and no one on the internet will have access.

also something to be aware of... once you put something on the internet its there for ever. even if you delete the post there is a copy of it somewhere in cyber space, anyone who knows how to use google search can still find it. (my wife discovered this by trying out some blogging sites. she would make a welcome post, then delete it, then go to google and search and there it was ) so again please use caution and only put on the internet what you want the whole world to see, anything that you feel you would not stand outside your home telling every stranger, neighbor or friend or family member is not something to put online.

Regarding whether to maintain a public blog....

By the very fact you are enquiring you thus have your answer. If you have to ask the answer is a resounding 'No'.

Originally Posted by justafriend306

Regarding whether to maintain a public blog....

By the very fact you are enquiring you thus have your answer. If you have to ask the answer is a resounding 'No'.

Disagree. Asking questions is a great way to decide if this is a healthy fit for you.

[seesaw]

Originally Posted by amandalouise

something you may not be aware of... online blogs are not as safe as most think. if you are able to find the blog online through a google search, that means the creator of the site has enabled google search so people can find the site. which means any blog can be found by anyone around the whole world, especially if the site does not have it set up so that each person blogging controls whether their blog is search able by search engines like google in their own blog settings. (my wife discovered this when she was looking for blog options for her work related website)

for example ....

writing a blog entry....

today is january 15th...

without a setting attached to this blog that prevents google from searching the blog anyone around the whole world will see.....today is January 15th... and blog site address as one of the search results if a person typed in the word January 15th.

my point when you start a blog on the internet there is no such thing as no one will be able to find me kind of thing.... which is why most if not all internet websites that allow posting/ blogging/ vlogging have a disclaimer in the registration informing the person registering to not use their real names and dont place any personal, identifying or other information that you would not want others to know in the posts/ blogging/ vlogging.

for example if you dont want the whole world to know you have depression dont put it in your blog, because anyone that types in to google the word depression will get your blog entry as one of their search results.

last I knew word press did not protect their users from google or other like search engines.

that said only you can decide whether you want to blog or not, and if you decide to continue with this check out blog sites to make sure its a site where you can set your own settings in the blog for privacy at the levels of privacy you want for example if you dont want anyone to see your blog post then set the post at only you get to see it. if its a blog you want the whole world to see then set the blog posting at everyone has access.

what my wife ended up doing is supplying links where people on her website can download free writing programs and then do their blogging on their own computers off the internet... google store comes with windows 10, in there, there are many free writing / blogging programs that a person can download and then write to their hearts content and no one on the internet will have access.

also something to be aware of... once you put something on the internet its there for ever. even if you delete the post there is a copy of it somewhere in cyber space, anyone who knows how to use google search can still find it. (my wife discovered this by trying out some blogging sites. she would make a welcome post, then delete it, then go to google and search and there it was ) so again please use caution and only put on the internet what you want the whole world to see, anything that you feel you would not stand outside your home telling every stranger, neighbor or friend or family member is not something to put online.

Yes, people can find a blog but that doesn't mean they can necessarily discover that it's you that is writing it. I have an anonymous blog that I set up with a new email that is not connected to me and that I don't use for anything else. I don't have any contact information on the blog, no "about" information either. I don't share it on any social media or anywhere else.

Sure, someone could possibly look up the IP address and figure it out, but I'm mostly concerned with a potential client or employer doing a Google search on my name, and this blog coming up. I have taken the steps to ensure that it doesn't happen, and when I Google search my name, it doesn't appear.

So, if you want to blog and share it with the world anonymously, it's absolutely possible. If someone really wanted to determine the author of the anonymous blog, they could, but likely your friends, family members, employer, etc., are not going to go to those lengths because they most likely won't even know about it, because you won't be sharing it with them.

So the question is, do you want this to be out there for the world to find on its own? I haven't done any promotion of my blog and it already has followers. Just other people who found it through searches. That's fine with me.

And if you do, what level of anonymity do you need? Because in reality, someone can connect it via IP address. However, it's highly unlikely that someone is going to do that. Especially since they don't even know the blog exists to begin with.

If you don't need it to make any contact with the world and just want to journal, then use a Word program or Notepad.

Seesaw

Originally Posted by TheSadGirl

Disagree. Asking questions is a great way to decide if this is a healthy fit for you.

We choose to differ on this. The way I see it is that asking the question indicates a hesitation. The hesitation pertains to worries about being public and how that will affect personal security or judgement. If these things are even a hint of a worry my thoughts are that there is just cause to be worried. Hence, my suggestion not to even go there.

Originally Posted by justafriend306

We choose to differ on this. The way I see it is that asking the question indicates a hesitation. The hesitation pertains to worries about being public and how that will affect personal security or judgement. If these things are even a hint of a worry my thoughts are that there is just cause to be worried. Hence, my suggestion not to even go there.

Interesting. I'm of the frame of mind that our fears should not limit us. If I didn't try something everytime I was scared, I would never try anything at all. Life is just too short.