Resources - Use them!

[Fishmanpa]

I posted this in Tips but I wanted to post it here.

There are a lot of great resources here. The ARTICLES section is a great place to start. There's a lot of great information, links etc.

Also, utilize the "SEARCH" feature. If your issue is about an illness, a feeling etc. A simple search can yield literally pages and pages of similar posts and threads along with the advice given to the member that posted it.

Just a reminder to take advantage of these resources and perhaps save yourself a lot of angst waiting for replies on a thread.

REFERENCE THE SYMPTOMS PAGE! 99% of questions and fears can be addressed there!

Also... Scroll to the bottom of your thread and you'll see several similar treads.

HINT: Reading the entire thread as well as looking at the poster's HISTORY can give you great insight on how to respond or if to respond at all.

Positive thoughts

[Fishmanpa]

BUMP!

[ankietyjoe]

Quite often, people don't come to a forum just to read resources. They want a bit of hand holding and reassurance. And that's fine...if it doesn't become a compulsion.

[Fishmanpa]

Quite often, people don't come to a forum just to read resources. They want a bit of hand holding and reassurance. And that's fine...if it doesn't become a compulsion.

The vast majority are quite compulsive and seeking reassurance. A couple of clicks can do that and then some. I've suggested the symptoms page be stickied on the top of the appropriate sub forums as well as the related articles etc. with a big READ ME tagged to it. There just seems to be a plethora of very common anxiety symptoms threads with "anyone else?" at the end lately.

[WorryRaptor]

The resources are great, and I have read many helpful things. Unfortunately, the nature of anxiety often makes the sufferer feel like they are alone, and that what they have is a very specific set of symptoms that a checklist just won't cover. Other people's posts will also not feel like they're quite enough, because they didn't have the exact same symptoms. They will never feel like what they have is common. Anxiety lies to you, plain and simple. Symptoms lists, and articles, while invaluable as a resource, won't stop somebody determined to find reassurance from another human to seek that out on a forum full of people who are going through something similar. As somebody who has looked for reassurance here before, I did indeed read many of the resources beforehand, but my anxiety was constantly telling me "yes, but, this wasn't on the list, therefore you must have something serious, you should list every specific thing to see if there's somebody else who had this and they didn't drop dead from it". In a way, it's a screwed up scramble for logic, creating a thread of hope you can cling to when anxiety is telling you you're doomed.

The "anyone else"? compulsion is sadly part of the illness that anxiety is. While it can certainly be a source of frustration for those who may not be as deep into anxiety spiral as another person on the forum, just knowing that there are people there to listen, and hopefully offer some kind of reassurance is comforting. Most people on here are well aware they have anxiety, and that it can manifest in many, many ways, but the illness they're aware of having is the very thing that pushes them to seek reassurance. I'm not supporting reassurance seeking, as safety seeking will NOT help you to recover. It's an extremely unhealthy behaviour. I do find the resources extremely helpful and valuable when I'm in a good mental space to appreciate them.

[Fishmanpa]

Good point Raptor. That said, apparently, those resources and features are very beneficial as the ratio of active members vs. total members are nearly 85/1 and active members to guests viewing the site are 35/1. Regardless, reading similar posts and replies is instant reassurance as opposed to posting and freaking out when you don't get a reply (which we see often).

Positive thoughts

[pulisa]

Do many members actually get reassurance from other people's contributions/similar history of symptoms?

[Fishmanpa]

Do many members actually get reassurance from other people's contributions/similar history of symptoms?

The ones asking "anyone else" apparently don't Granted, that's a small percentage based on the statistics I mentioned but based on the success rates of reassurance seeking vs. those that are apparently just reading, I would imagine they actually do. Especially in light of the fact that practically none of the fears posted about have become reality.

Positive thoughts

[ankietyjoe]

You often tell people they need a break from this forum. It sounds like this place it's p1ssing you off. Maybe you need a break from it

[Fishmanpa]

You often tell people they need a break from this forum. It sounds like this place it's p1ssing you off. Maybe you need a break from it

No doubt its frustrating... no doubt at all! That said, its the PM's thanking me and those that come back better who I've helped that make it worth while. The catalyst for my motivation, based on my personal experience, is to pay it forward, especially in cases where I have experience such as heart issues and cancer. My brother-in-law survived bowel cancer. My best friend died of throat cancer that spread to his lungs. My mother died of lung cancer and dementia.

In the big picture, more have benefited than have frustrated me and a cyber slap upside the head typically does more good than harm

Just wanted to add: I hope this thread will become a sticky in the future. If it helps someone at 4am in the UK when hardly any active members are online, it's worth it.

Positive thoughts