Where the hell is everyone?

What is going on? This place was so lively not too long ago even through the worst part of covid19 and it has died down so much. People have disappeared it seems. Do you think they were upset/afraid of the recent sale of the site?

I wonder if many people are closing themselves up emotionally as a way of coping during this time. It is like fatigue from all the emotions. Just my guess of why some people have disappeared or become more quiet.

I am not sure if the recent sale of the site is a cause of less activity. It hasn't changed my activity.

I've noticed that everything in life goes in cycles. It's true of this forum, too. There will be a wave of participants, seems so active I can't keep up. Then the cycle changes and it gets rather quiet around here. Also depends upon the day of the week. I've found that Saturdays are the slowest day for forums, whereas Sunday night things pick up.

I've been here nearly three years and it's the slowest I've ever seen this forum.

I often wondered if when the site went down and it had that error, a lot of people thought well, it's gone. sooo

suppose it's possible

Sarah, I've not been as active the last couple of weeks, but it has nothing to do with PC or the sale. I'm physically and emotionally drained. I tend to pull into my shell when I feel this way.

Also, as others mentioned activity here tends to ebb and flow. This could just be a slow period.

THANK YOU.


This used to be a lively place.

Over the years I had been on other discussion sites (not having to do with mental illness) that were thriving and then they went out of business. It happened that way mostly because there had been lots of arguing and divisions. It hasn't been that bad on here, but it seems like it's heading in that direction.

Not only have I noticed that the participation is going down, but for me personally I don't feel like I get great encouragement and understanding like it used to be. Lately there had been times when I felt very sorry that I posted on here. With the way it's been going on here I'm thinking of withdrawing after many years being at this site.

There had been some postings on here that seem to lead to arguing and putting down. Maybe it wasn't meant to be like that, but it is. We have to bear in mind that we're dealing with mental illness on here and there are times that just giving suggestions and advice doesn't work. And we have to be more sensitive to others. With me I try to be understanding and sympathetic to others who are struggling. I hope I would help.

I know that maybe I have raised some eyebrows and it's not very comfortable for me to post this. I'm just telling it like the way I see it on here. Maybe that's why people have left.

I am probably the busiest I’ve been for at least last few years. And I am probably the most tired I’ve been in many years due to work situation. And I know it’s not just me. Lots of people have very different lives because of covid.

True, covid is not the worst but when it was the worst many people, including me, worked from home or didn’t work at all and couldn’t go places so they had ton of time to be on forums. I sure was on here a lot. It was way busier on here when most people were at home and had more time.

Im not seeing a decrease in supportive threads. I think there might be a decrease in arguing threads? Maybe people are taking arguments to political sites? Idk. I never check online counts or anything like that, so i cant really say.

I know Tamster wasn't as active in the forums but many on the forums knew her from her daily, constant presence as the lead chat moderator. Her passing, I'm sure, has kept some people in a grieving space (including myself) where we are not responding as much.

I know for me, the fall semester started and I have two pre-grad classes, I'm getting certified as a peer support specialist, I'm studying for the GRE, and finishing two professional certifications PLUS you know, actual work. I try to come in and comment, but I only have limited time to spend on PC.

I'm sorry it seems dead. Just remember that a lot of people have started up school again, with the fall, lots of things resurface. And forum activity does ebb and flow. Frankly I see plenty of posts from new people every day, so I don't think it's dead here, just a cycling of new and old.

I've become less active recently. For me it is a combination of things. The sale of Psych Central to a corporate entity is a factor since it's unclear to me where anything I post may be going or what it might end up being used for in the future. (Granted I tend to be a bit paranoid.)

My age, as well as my assigned gender at birth, are also factors. I don't think most members here are really much interested in what's going on with a little old man (and I use the term loosely.) I also find there is little, if any, interest in the particular concerns that are of interest to me personally. And I've never felt as though I really fit in here on PC anyway. Plus, I don't really know that much about psychology & the various mental health diagnoses.

So for all of those reasons, in combination, I've become less active recently & expect to remain so. I would probably go to another forum website if I could find one that suited me better. But, so far at least, that hasn't occurred.

I know of four very active members that have gone. For them it's time to focus on other things. You are right it is quieter in here.

Maybe another explanation is that the site has been so helpful that people's problems have been solved. The pessimistic flip side, of course, would be that people gave up on the site. On a depression forum, for example, I wonder how many people stick around if their situation improves. Years ago, I left some sites for a long time, but nowadays I plan to stay even if I get better... seems like the least thing I can do to (try to) help others after they helped me (or even if they didn't).

@Skeezyks actually, you do contribute a lot when you see a new member struggling and you provide that new member with articles from the archives they can read. I don't think you realize how important that can be for someone feeling very confused and lost and having someone provide them with information they can find helpful.

Actually, I myself have seen your links and clicked on them as well and have found them helpful.

I’ve been here constantly several hours a day for a couple years. Although I’ve noticed I’m one of 3 or 4 who post everyday in general chat. So I’m starting to think it’s useless. I’m doubling sometimes triple posting on a post and I’ve had to let some threads go completely dead since I’m the only one posting on them. But I basically just use PC as a journal/ for my own records so I can go back a few months from now to see if I’ve made progress in a specific area or how I felt at a certain time in my life.

It think it has mostly to do with smart phones. Small screens and apps. deter use of these standard forums once made for big screen computers, that required starting and logging in. Big displays always helped these kinds of forums. Now we multi task on smart phones, and we pay less attention, and almost skip over everything that is not eye catching.

I actually think it’s the other way around. I am way more on forums since cell phones. To be on a big screen I have to be at home, can’t do at work or in other places and I am not home all day. Now I log on forums at lunch hour or some other random times, which I couldn’t do before.

The arguing got to me so I stepped back and don't engage as much tbh. I was depressed enough and did not care to look at it as for a while it seemed to take place too much, at least for me.

My laptop is old by computer standards. It's also falling apart a bit at a time. I don't own a smart phone. (No one to call.) I've been thinking about replacing my old laptop with one of these tablets that offers internet access. I do wonder if that would decrease my participation here on PC even further. But then do I even care?

that makes a lot of sense. that's too bad. i am not that active anymore but many years ago, when i was in deep despair, i always received invaluable support on pc. i do miss seeing members i got to know. sadly, such is online life..or like t4bby cat said, maybe some people just felt better? i still check in once in a while, to see if i can help in any way i can, just to pay forward all the kindness i received (and still to vent sometimes).

I been really depressed lately. I didn't think I would give out the best advice.

Yes, I can relate to that, sorry Buffy.

I thought it may have to do with the type of content.

If a person floods a forum with the same content just with different titles that will impact the forum.
People will only reply so many times to the same thing before they reduce their input...or take a break.

Content does not explain mass behavior. Perhaps 1-2 people, but not the masses.

Perhaps it's covid, perhaps it's that more people got busy, perhaps more people are becoming too depressed to reply, perhaps it's the recent technical issues, perhaps it's the sale, and perhaps it's any number of things.