Is it wrong to distract yourself?

[Jenna]

Fee

Thank you.

[rara]

Morning
I do feel I should reiterate the forum guidelines at this point. Posts here should not be used as a substitute for professional advice from a medical practitioner.

I don't feel this is right though. Sure, anyone can write anything over the internet but that's what comes with the territory. Yes, the internet CAN be a dangerous place for people taking advice from charlatans or people with poor/false/inaccurate information...so shouldn't the disclaimer be there to simply say "You don't really know the people who you are talking to so take it all with caution"? Along these lines...in the "rules" section. I just don't see where this "reminder" needs to come in. Being a mindfulness forum, surely all the posts in this thread are invited?

You're right to say about seeking GP advice...I don't think anyone has actually said that yet. I would have thought that would have been stage one anyway, hence why the OP is here. But that's just an assumption from me. But from my experience, while some GPs/professionals do a very very good job, some aren't all that helpful. I went time and time again, saw counsellor after counsellor and jut so happened to refuse the pills. If the GP couldn't answer it without throwing drugs down my throat, how exactly can I believe they are the right people to go to?

So for me, this is a 50/50 thing. Ask everyone and you can make your own mind up. But I don't feel that there should be any words of warning here. It's a forum after all and we are here to discuss openly...and share such experiences and really, for me, mindfulness is about exploration. If anything is far-out and dangerous advice, I'd be like "Woah, take that post straight down!". But here, people are just helping people.

I guess I could sit here and talk the real difference between professional and non-professional advice and melt the whole thing down....

But to conclude (yeah sorry, the relevant part) just because someone has professional status and/or a certificate doesn't necessarily make them any more "qualified" to advise. I mean, how can a GP deal with depression if they have never felt it first hand? Just something to ponder on.

Jenna, I'm sorry that I had to do this on your thread but y'know...I have been there so I had to share my complete opposite opinion!

[FeeHutch]

Rara, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts.
This is a difficult area and yes to an extent the disclaimer is exactly what you suggest it should be, we have simply tried to couch it in gentle language. Many people have been open about finding mindfulness at a difficult time in their lives. We are trying to be mindful that some of us using the boards might be vulnerable. Developing self compassion can be a hard and difficult path to follow. If someone posts here in deep distress I hope they will feel supported and listened to but at the same time they may be looking for someone to instruct or lead them but we can only take each other in trust in the virtual world.

As I've posted elsewhere the guidelines are new, a work in progress. Thank you for your feedback and Jenna, sorry to hijack your thread.

[Jenna]

Rara/fee

No problem. I can see this from both points of view but my personal opinion is that fee is correct it is unfair to expect people to take on others' health issue.

Apologies if anyone felt this to be the case. I do fee very well supported here but am also aware of people's limitations.

Fee- didn't need to take up your suggestion but have 'filed' for future.

J

[OmniPada]

No problem. I can see this from both points of view but my personal opinion is that fee is correct it is unfair to expect people to take on others' health issue.

Woah there. Let's think that through. You post something, I (and everyone else) decide whether or not we want to respond. I fail to see where that is you expecting others to take on your health issue (more on health issue in a sec). If I (or anyone else) didn't want to take it on we could just not reply with no obligation whatsoever. There was no mandate when we signed up that we had to answer every post.

Sometimes the thoughts of "I'm just a burden to others" and "no one wants to help" are signs of depression. (I better put in full disclaimer here that I'm not a doctor, I don't even play one on TV and my statement is in no way shape or form a diagnosis of any real or supposed condition, further, my statements don't reflect the views of the staff of this station, it's stock holders and owners, nor does it claim to certify the existence of any illnesses, this website, it's moderators, a typing panda, a lady named Jenna that may post on said website, or even the existence of the Internet.) (whew!)

Now for "health issue" - I won't be surprised if all quirks in personality can be traced back to some physical condition, however minor, especially in relationship to the brain and it's chemicals. I'll be happy to be wrong. But if I'm right, then "health issue" would be pretty all-encompassing of just about anything we'd discuss related to mindfulness, personality, fears, etc...

And even if such a connection can't be made, at what point does "fear" (for example) go from what anyone here would consider as "fear" to now a health issue? Just like when does sadness which is ok to be discussed here turn into depression which isn't OK?

maybe one of the mods can help us with that distinction.

Apologies if anyone felt this to be the case. I do fee very well supported here but am also aware of people's limitations.

For the record, I didn't feel that way at all. Others may also indicate the same.

i think Rara said it best, when you ask for advice on the Internet, beware of what you get. It's up to you to decide what's right for you. Even if you see a medical doctor and he gives you a prescription or wants to do an operation, you don't have to do it. You can always do something else after careful consideration. In the end, it's you who bears the burden of the outcome of whatever course of action you take.

And none of that precludes you from asking for help or others offering their experience.

Even in light of my oppinion about Rara's take on the matter, if the moderators have decreed "thou shalt not discuss medical conditions", then (at least while on this site) stick by those rules. I don't want any of us to get in trouble by the mods, after all, this is their site.

Fee- didn't need to take up your suggestion but have 'filed' for future.

I'd like to see what else is in that file.

:^D

[rara]

Rara, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts.
This is a difficult area and yes to an extent the disclaimer is exactly what you suggest it should be, we have simply tried to couch it in gentle language. Many people have been open about finding mindfulness at a difficult time in their lives. We are trying to be mindful that some of us using the boards might be vulnerable. Developing self compassion can be a hard and difficult path to follow. If someone posts here in deep distress I hope they will feel supported and listened to but at the same time they may be looking for someone to instruct or lead them but we can only take each other in trust in the virtual world.

As I've posted elsewhere the guidelines are new, a work in progress. Thank you for your feedback and Jenna, sorry to hijack your thread.

Hiya...and ok, but the disclaimer comes up in bright red and pink on the front page! Usually I only ever see this type of stuff for high internet security reasons. But anyway, this isn't the place to talk about these specific things, but perhaps if you'd be open to me PM'ing you and I could just say a few things on other site things?

My point is, whilst the majority here might be vulnerable - who's to say others here haven't been mindful of that anyway? Just because a reply is slightly not conforming to what a lot of other people say, suddenly flags are raised to say "beware". When I was "vulnerable" (pre Every-day mindfulness) I was certainly treated with a big mix of welcoming people, hard people disciplining me, and straight-up rude people. Sure, I would never expect people to be given much time if they're being really offensive, like you see a lot on Youtube...but what is the point in someone opening a thread if they aren't ready to read the replies? I reiterate, you can discard anything you read.

And Jenna, how can it be wrong for us to take on a health issue? Most people here have or have had some form of health issue. That's why we're here...peer support. Very soon, we'll all be saying nothing and just giving applause and advice to see a mindfulness or medical specialist in every thread if we're not welcome to actually give our own advice, not out of professionalism, but out of experience.

Mindfulness and spirituality happened to come hand in hand in my case and brought me out of depression and anxiety...something a "professional" couldn't do. Not to say that pro's didn't help....they were a part of a chain...the progression. My mind was made up from interactions from absolutely everyone and I chose to hold some advice very close to me, and discard others. Either way, I and I'm sure everybody else is here at any point, regardless...no matter which path you choose to take

[JonW]

Hi folks.
I've opened up a new thread for this conversation. Please see "Forum Guidelines" in the "Our Community" section. Thanks, Jon

[FeeHutch]

Jenna, I'm glad it is filed away in case you need it and look forward to hearing more about your journey.

Omni I am not aware of saying at any point medical issues can not be discussed, I certainly reference my own where appropriate. What we are trying to do is set out the limits of the forum. Jon has posted more about this is the community board.

As for the way the guidelines are presented, that is the options currently available to us. As Gareth has posted before we are expecting a new look forum to be launched soon and so there seems little point tinkering with the aesthetics as they stand.

[OmniPada]

Omni I am not aware of saying at any point medical issues can not be discussed,

You're right. I went back to look for where I got that impression and couldn't find it, evidently I was reading in what you hadn't written.

My apologies.

[FeeHutch]

Accepted.
Thank you.