The mental health of this community [Read Staff Post Before Posting]

[Glitchesarecool]

Support on Social Media

For over 10 years, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has worked with social media platforms and digital communities to establish recommended best practices in suicide prevention for social and digital…

suicidepreventionlifeline.org

If you have identified an individual that is at risk of suicide or in suicidal crisis but doesn't seem to be at imminent risk, research suggests that the community moderator reach out to that individual directly, through a set of clear processes established by and best suited to the needs of your platform or community.

While we encourage active moderation and response online, we do not encourage community managers to take on the role of mental health care professionals. All engagement with an at-risk individual should be designed to provide appropriate support while connecting that individual to mental health or crisis resources like the Lifeline, your local crisis center, or other local mental health providers.

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[JasonV]

Is it possible people are more likely to post a suicide threads here because they are more likely to receive a sympathetic response?

Most other online gaming communities would meet that kind of post with ridicule at best.

 

[echoshifting]

I appreciate the staff's responsiveness to this issue. I apologize if the suggestion I'm about to give has been posted, I haven't read the entire thread.

I don't think these threads should be locked, but I do think they should be made invite-only for posting as quickly as possible. Sometimes people post things that, although well-intentioned, could do harm to a person in this state of mind. Maybe put up a short staff post saying, if you want to post in this thread, report the op and request posting privileges. Then send a pm to the user that makes the request saying "don't post in such and such a manner, here are some tips on expressing empathy to a person in this state of mind, etc."

You might then even retain a list and just automatically invite posters who conducted themselves well in past threads. If someone strays outside the guidelines, their privileges are permanently removed for these threads. I'm not sure if this is feasible, but I've had it kicking around in my head for a bit so I thought I'd take the opportunity to put it out there. I'd like to see these threads become safer environments for those in need of emotional support.

 

[Deleted member 12379]

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[Lilyth]

ERA is not a healthy place to be, especially for people who have anxiety, depression and other issues that are exacerbated by an endless flood of nihilistic shit that people post.

I'm extremely concerned that suicide threats aren't instantly locked and reported on, especially when you factor in that people who are making suicide threads are very likely being influenced by what they are consuming on ERA as well. It's beyond reckless that mods let these threads stay open and let untrained posters deal with someone who may or may not be having a "cry for help".

Not to mention, it isn't healthy for the community at all if suicide threads are just allowed to be on the top of the OT page for an entire day, it's not fair to people who suffer from suicidal idolization if they see a thread about self arm get flooded with support, and not fair for people who are just on ERA to see a thread where someone is threatening self harm. There really seems to be a complete lack of regard for basically everyone else and the impact these threads have on others in the community.



If your average internet poster can talk someone out of suicide, then a trained professional will almost always have the toolset to do that. And what about the flip side? How can you be sure that random people on the internet aren't going to say the wrong thing and cause far more issues than just locking the thread, contacting authorities if needed, or posting a the suicide hotline? This blind faith on the general ERA posting population to handle suicide threads is insane.

There has been a lot of talk about moderation of the last few months, and by far the lack of any action on suicide threads is probably the most reckless shit I've seen in regards to the mods choosing to do nothing and letting the threads stay up and have untrained people openly comment and "help" OP's who are claiming to wanting to self harm or end their lives.

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Perfectly put. There must be some system in place to protect the vulnerable or unassuming members from that content. Quarantine specific words, lock threads as soon as possible. I don't think people should be forced to read about self harm various times a week.

 

[astro]

Perfectly put. There must be some system in place to protect the vulnerable or unassuming members from that content. Quarantine specific words, lock threads as soon as possible. I don't think people should be forced to read about self harm various times a week.

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And by doing that you will limit the ability for people to reach out.

If you see a thread you can put it on ignore, I know it's not ideal for you but if we limit people's ability to reach out we could be doing far, far more potential harm imo.

 

[collige]

Does Era have any kind of equivalent to 4chan's "sage" function? I think that a good middle ground for the locking issue would be some kind of way for threads to stay open with less of the possibility of contagion, having a highly emotional thread stay in Trending, etc.

And by doing that you will limit the ability for people to reach out.

If you see a thread you can put it on ignore, I know it's not ideal for you but if we limit people's ability to reach out we could be doing far, far more potential harm imo.

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I think the crux of the problem here is that the primary method of "reaching out" probably shouldn't be making a thread in the first place, at least with the way OT is currently set up.

 

[Jindrax]

Still reading the responses since the thread got reopened. But I see slot of focus on the suicide threads themselves. But what can we do to help our members from reaching those points?

 

[SanTheSly]

Having a really hard time lately myself.

Made redundant over the last few months, it finally took effect at the start of Feb. Since then I've struggled to get out of bed before 10am every day.

Each day then consists of sitting in front of my PC and doing nothing because the thought of even applying to jobs sends me into a panic attack.

I'm once again living apart from my partner of 7+ years, in what's likely to be the third bout of our relationship becoming long distance because of my inability to hold down work.

I was also diagnosed with anxiety after suffering heart attack like symptoms for a week or more.


I feel legitimately at rock bottom and although I'd never self-harm or commit suicide because I'm too chicken shit scared to do it, it doesn't stop the ideation setting in. In a way it feels worse because I feel trapped with no form of escape. If I was brave enough to even contemplate death or self-harm it'd at least be an escape route option on the table.

I don't even like that I'm posting this on a forum I have very little experience with. I've been incredibly self destructive lately and I feel like I've either isolated myself from friends or begun agitating them to the point they now secretly hate me even if they say they don't.

I can't even motivate myself to seek help or attempt to learn new skills because it all seems so futile. I graduated 5 years ago and have nothing to show for it. I don't want to go back to retail after my last job but I feel too useless to ever get a decent job again or to even bother retraining.

I'm literally throwing my life away each day and I can't see any way out of it.

 

[astro]

I find it disturbing to read suicide threads. I have been in that place and am currently struggling very much with low mood. They trigger negative responses and sometimes make me feel pretty awful.

I still think they should be allowed.

I think perhaps the ability to ignore threads without entering to make it easier for people to quickly put any they see on ignore if they need to would be a good way to help while we try to think of a solution. Is that something that's possible? I know people have been requesting it for a while now...

 

[Wackamole]

I have no problem ignoring those threads (i wish people the best but i don't feel i can help them). I've seen some of these threads and a lot of people here are willing to offer help, listen and talk. Emergency hotlines are always mentioned.
You can also set a thread in ignore. So i don't think they need to be locked if it can help a person.

When it comes to moderation, i think a different thread should be created where moderation can be discussed in an open and honest way.

 

[Deleted member 3812]

Still reading the responses since the thread got reopened. But I see slot of focus on the suicide threads themselves. But what can we do to help our members from reaching those points?

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This is also pretty challenging to deal with as well. Mental health is challenging to deal with, I know from personal experience as I've gone through bouts of depression in the past.

I guess we all can be empathetic and willing to be a good listener to people who want to vent about stuff.

I am a good listener and can let people vent to me and if they ask questions, I'll answer them to the best of my ability but if I can't, I'll try to have them talk to someone else.

 

[astro]

Still reading the responses since the thread got reopened. But I see slot of focus on the suicide threads themselves. But what can we do to help our members from reaching those points?

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It's not really our place to manage this for everyone, as cruel as that might sound... we can try to be better in our interactions with others, and look out for signs and try our best to listen and help where we can... but most of us are not professionals and many of us might not be equipped to even consider this.

 

[ty_hot]

Edit

 

[Uncivilized Elk]

there are only people feeling bad and complaining in there.

No idea hot to improve the situation though.

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For one, please try not to be dismissive and callous in the way you just did?

Having a place where you feel safe to vent about your life is a pretty big deal. Framing it with the language you just did comes off as really shitty. Definitely made me feel shitty seeing your post.

 

[HardTimesFamilyPride]

But what can we do to help our members from reaching those points?

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We could all put effort into our own posts and try to communicate ourselves more compassionately regardless of topic. The threads will likely still happen because, as has been mentioned, people deal with way more shit than what goes on here and having a mental health community like ours can make posters feel more comfortable reaching out if they're having a crisis. But in terms of what we specifically can do on this site, it's always gonna be to moderate our own behaviour and consider the effects of our words on others.

 

[Glitchesarecool]

But what can we do to help our members from reaching those points?

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We can't. We don't know each other's lives and we are not mental health professionals. People who make these threads need professional help, not random schmucks posting. I have seen people make comments that fit in with things you should not say to people who are suicidal.

From r/SuicideWatch's guide on not encouraging suicide: https://old.reddit.com/r/SuicideWat...iki_on_how_to_avoid_accidentally_encouraging/

• Skilled suicide intervention -- peer or professional -- is based on empathic responsiveness to the person's feelings that reduces their suffering in the moment. Contrary to pop-culture myths, it does not involve persuasion ("Don't do it!"), cheerleading ("You've got this!") or meaningless false promises ("Trust me, it gets better!"), or invalidation ("Let me show you how things aren't as bad as you think!"). Anyone who leads others to expect these kinds of toxic responses, or any other response that prolongs their pain, from expert help may be covertly pro-suicide.

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[Ultimate Bear Cub]

Still reading the responses since the thread got reopened. But I see slot of focus on the suicide threads themselves. But what can we do to help our members from reaching those points?

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I feel the same. If there are preventative measures, I would like to know. As it stands I just try my best and direct people to professionals, but I do get worried about making things worse.

 

[NoName999]

Honestly some these ideas are just... bad.

First is the "direct them MH OT" just puts the pressure on them. And if the suicidal person in question doesn't post for awhile, how do you think that will make the MT posters feel?

Making a separate news area is what Neogaf did when it turned full Nazi. And it'll be used to silence minorities. And if it was era that made people feel bad, they wouldn't even be confiding in us that they're ending their life.

Granted I have no clue what to do either so...

And I also tire of blaming era for this. Must this forum be blamed every time someone kills themselves? And I don't like the implication that we must turn into a bunch of stepford smilers

 

[collige]

I find it disturbing to read suicide threads. I have been in that place and am currently struggling very much with low mood. They trigger negative responses and sometimes make me feel pretty awful.

I still think they should be allowed.

I think perhaps the ability to ignore threads without entering to make it easier for people to quickly put any they see on ignore if they need to would be a good way to help while we try to think of a solution. Is that something that's possible? I know people have been requesting it for a while now...

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Just talking from a technological perspective, I don't think the ignore feature is the best solution there since it still requires an opt in from every user for every thread. If a mod was able to go in a prevent thread bumping while leaving it open, I think that would put the least amount of effort onto the parts of already vulnerable users.

I think the BCC/racism mod thread might've used some kind of speacial thread feature like that, but I'm not really sure.

 

[RROCKMAN]

I appreciate the staff's responsiveness to this issue. I apologize if the suggestion I'm about to give has been posted, I haven't read the entire thread.

I don't think these threads should be locked, but I do think they should be made invite-only for posting as quickly as possible. Sometimes people post things that, although well-intentioned, could do harm to a person in this state of mind. Maybe put up a short staff post saying, if you want to post in this thread, report the op and request posting privileges. Then send a pm to the user that makes the request saying "don't post in such and such a manner, here are some tips on expressing empathy to a person in this state of mind, etc."

You might then even retain a list and just automatically invite posters who conducted themselves well in past threads. If someone strays outside the guidelines, their privileges are permanently removed for these threads. I'm not sure if this is feasible, but I've had it kicking around in my head for a bit so I thought I'd take the opportunity to put it out there. I'd like to see these threads become safer environments for those in need of emotional support.

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Invite list is a damn good idea
Could be helped if each created thread had a tagging system where words could be separated out and serve as tags. That way people who have no interest in seeing these things could put them in their ignore treads with these tags and auto ignore them.

That being said I have no idea how hard a tag system would be to implement after the fact.

I have no problem ignoring those threads (i wish people the best but i don't feel i can help them). I've seen some of these threads and a lot of people here are willing to offer help, listen and talk. Emergency hotlines are always mentioned.
You can also set a thread in ignore. So i don't think they need to be locked if it can help a person.

When it comes to moderation, i think a different thread should be created where moderation can be discussed in an open and honest way.

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I also agree with this notion.

 

[astro]

Just talking from a technological perspective, I don't think the ignore feature is the best solution there since it still requires an opt in from every user for every thread. If a mod was able to go in a prevent thread bumping while leaving it open, I think that would put the least amount of effort onto the parts of already vulnerable users.

I think the BCC/racism mod thread might've used some kind of speacial thread feature like that, but I'm not really sure.

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I think it's the best option we have right now that doesn't limit the vital need for people to be able to reach out while we ry to think of a more long term solution. Preventing thread bumping would drastically limit the amount of help that could be given.

 

[ty_hot]

For one, please try not to be dismissive and callous in the way you just did?

Having a place where you feel safe to vent about your life is a pretty big deal. Framing it with the language you just did comes off as really shitty. Definitely made me feel shitty seeing your post.

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That wasnt my intention and the wording was far from optimal. Edited the comment.

Anyway, I understand that a place to vent is valuable and necessary, what I meant is that it would be nicer if we had more people on the support side of the conversation, not only venting. I dont go to that thread anymore because it doesnt make me feel good and I wonder if that is the reason others dont either. More than once I wanted to vent about something and gave up

 

[janusff]

I find it disturbing to read suicide threads. I have been in that place and am currently struggling very much with low mood. They trigger negative responses and sometimes make me feel pretty awful.

I still think they should be allowed.

I think perhaps the ability to ignore threads without entering to make it easier for people to quickly put any they see on ignore if they need to would be a good way to help while we try to think of a solution. Is that something that's possible? I know people have been requesting it for a while now...

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Good post. Thanks

 

[Combo]

I think it would help just to chill out with the negativity in OT especially, no we're not going to die in a few years because of climate change, we're not facing a Nazi problem that is in any way shape or form similar to what it was in WW2. The mods should start doing something about hyperboles because they are affecting the mental health of members here obviously.

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It's not just these worldly issues. This forum has a lot of people who promote a nihilistic worldview on a personal level. I.e. your life is rubbish, it is meaningless and all creatures live a life of suffering. Sometimes I feel like many of these people don't really mean it but it's just rhetoric.

 

[Combo]

Is it possible people are more likely to post a suicide threads here because they are more likely to receive a sympathetic response?

Most other online gaming communities would meet that kind of post with ridicule at best.

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Good point.

 

[amusix]

This is a fair point, and something I'll raise with the team. One thing to bear in mind though is that something that might seem like good fun to one group, might be alienating to another. For example, we've gotten feedback from female members that certain kinds of threads and posts make the forum seem like a 'boys club', i.e., there's an assumption that there are no women around / locker room talk. That's not to see that there aren't other silly threads that can be left open. I'm not aware of exactly how many of these threads are being locked, but it's something I'll raise with the team.

We are however brainstorming ideas on how to uplift the mood on the forum, including hosting more fun events. We'll hopefully have more to say on that in the coming weeks.

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When I read the OP, this is what instantly came to mind.

I'm an active member of 5 different online communities (found here, reddit, discord, other boards, etc) and Era is, by far, the most negative and judgmental. However, the face it puts forth is pretty much the opposite of this. What I've found is that it seems people are more willing to 'open up' here, only to be lambasted for being different. I've seen it so many times that I simply won't put 'myself' into my posts here, as it's just not worth it.

The problem this creates is that people are told this is a safe place to discuss things, and then get attacked for voicing themselves, they feel unsafe in other venues which are considered 'less safe' than Era. (Yeah, that sentence is a bit convoluted).

Another example is how "why can't you all just be normal" threads can swiftly dive into "don't post in here if you aren't a well-adjusted person or we'll mock you"

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This is a much more concise example of what I'm describing. Though I've also seen the same 'shut down with judgment' trend happen in discussions about social issues, political issues, and even things like movies and music.


As for what could be done, I'm not a sociologist, so wouldn't know how to go about shifting the mindset of a community. I don't believe heavy-handed moderation is the solution here, but more positive guidance of discussions could possibility have a benefit. Of course, steering to more in-depth and nuanced discussion is far more work than simply shutting down discordant voices.



hmmm, I should mention that none of the other communities I'm active in are game-related, so I don't know how much that effects the general discourse here.

 

[Uncivilized Elk]

That wasnt my intention and the wording was far from optimal. Edited the comment.

Anyway, I understand that a place to vent is valuable and necessary, what I meant is that it would be nicer if we had more people on the support side of the conversation, not only venting. I dont go to that thread anymore because it doesnt make me feel good and I wonder if that is the reason others dont either. More than once I wanted to vent about something and gave up

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Thanks for understanding. I have a hard time venting online myself but for completely different reasons.
But yes, many of the people who give support in that thread are indeed the same people who post their problems in it. And many posts in that thread don't get replies.
Apparently the discord is a better place for more prompt communication from what I heard, but I wouldn't know as I don't use discord.

 

[Nepenthe]

I'm not going to respond to the mental health side of things because I'm not a professional nor closely related enough to this issue to offer insight.

When it comes to the general atmosphere of the forum however, I agree with people that ERA is dour. However, I've come to terms with the belief- after years of moderating- that I don't think it's something staff alone can fix. I can't change people's intent to post negative news, nor can I change people's intent to post snarky or mean-spirited responses. We're glorified clean-up crew; almost everything we do is reactive. I do try my best however to post threads that I think lean towards positive and interesting when I get the urge to do so, but even then sometimes that either backfires or I have to figure out how to navigate some snark, which gets exhausting.

It's as I said before in another thread regarding political defeatism: I don't understand how those who champion freedom and liberation- generally progressive ideals- trend towards the most negative and cynical attitudes imaginable. I also don't understand- even as someone old enough to remember having played Duck Hunt- why the fuck gamers get so bent out of shape over non-preferred consoles and games performing well (well, I can but different lecture for a different time.) This isn't to downplay our political and cultural landscape of course- I'm as angry as the next person- but rather a plea to not let these things dictate your entire reality, to remind people that good things and experiences can continue to exist, that those things have value, and that it's okay to let others perceive that value without butting in that you think certain things are worthless. We should cherish our passions and use them for inspiration, not turn them into battlegrounds.

I'm going to continue to try and make topics that I think are positive (have an idea coming up soon once I finish the research) and just as well we have some fun events planned to try and relieve tension. Also count me as a champion of nonsense/silly threads like the pizza one.

But ultimately the atmosphere of the community is going to come down primarily on, well, the wider community. Those who want a nicer ERA will have to live by example and post as they wish ERA to be. But I won't lie: if you can find a way to make a community of hardcore gamers prioritize positivity above negativity, then please tell me....

Actually, don't. Sell it to Silicon Valley for millions. Just credit me somewhere in the patent.

 

[Kyuuji]

We can't. We don't know each other's lives and we are not mental health professionals. People who make these threads need professional help, not random schmucks posting. I have seen people make comments that fit in with things you should not say to people who are suicidal.

From r/SuicideWatch's guide on not encouraging suicide: https://old.reddit.com/r/SuicideWat...iki_on_how_to_avoid_accidentally_encouraging/

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The source for people interested:

Ten things not to say to a suicidal person

In July 2011 I wrote a post entitled, “Ten things not to say to a depressed person.” It was the first piece on this blog to attract a large audience and I own much of my blogging success to that po…

purplepersuasion.wordpress.com

 

[Shevek]

While I'm only involved in two or so online communities (Era being one of them) and while I've only seen these types of threads here, I don't imagine Era is an outlier for this sort of thing among online communities.

I think the important thing to remember here is that, unlike so many toxic online gaming communities, Era is a place where a lot of marginalised and vulnerable folk get to share space with each other in a shared love for this medium.

It is naturally going to foster a community of shared vulnerabilities where people are going to reach out and speak about these things from time to time especially when they feel they can be heard, listened to, empathised with, and understood, and I think it speaks volumes about the kindness and compassion among many folks in this community that people feel they can do so.

This seems like a good moment to clarify the steps we take for 'cry for help' threads, as well as the Mental Health community as a whole. When we are alerted to a member making a post or thread that suggests depressive or suicidal thoughts, we try to give them an alert/notice with resources that they can use in their country. Whether that's telephone helplines, or websites. This is accompanied with a supportive message. This message can only be disabled on our end, until we're sure the user is safe or feeling better. We also have a staff member reach out via PM, and give them further resources such as the Mental Health OT, and an invite to the Mental Health discord. In extreme cases where we believe a member is in danger, we take further steps as we are able to.

We have had two meetings with the Mental Health community, and also have two staff members involved in running the MH Discord. As a result of those meetings, the MH OT has been moved to the main Etcetera section for visibility. The thread would not be stickied without involvement and discussion with that community. What we are currently discussing as a result of the feedback in this thread, however, is a pinned thread with resources (including the MH OT). This is a topic that we take very seriously, and have expended a lot of effort on. This is a personal and important subject for us as well. We appreciate the constructive feedback that has been given so far, and promise to take it into consideration.

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And for all its issues, this is one of the many reasons why I appreciate this place. Big ups to the mods and everyone involved in all of these efforts.

 

[collige]

I think it's the best option we have right now that doesn't limit the vital need for people to be able to reach out while we ry to think of a more long term solution. Preventing thread bumping would drastically limit the amount of help that could be given.

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How would it limit available help?

When it comes to the general atmosphere of the forum however, I agree with people that ERA is dour. However, I've come to terms with the belief- after years of moderating- that I don't think it's something staff alone can fix. I can't change people's intent to post negative news, nor can I change people's intent to post snarky or mean-spirited responses. We're glorified clean-up crew; almost everything we do is reactive. I do try my best however to post threads that I think lean towards positive and interesting when I get the urge to do so, but even then sometimes that either backfires or I have to figure out how to navigate some snark, which gets exhausting.

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I think this is selling the staff's abilities a bit short. At the end of the day, you as a mod can only enforce rules, but the rules being enforced in the first place are what determines the culture of the site. That's how we ended up with such a huge and resiliant community in the first place, right? Actually being dedicated to principles of inclusion and following through. If we can agree there's ways to make the forum less racist, transphobic, etc, then surely making it less depressing is at least worth attempting.

 

[Lilyth]

And by doing that you will limit the ability for people to reach out.

If you see a thread you can put it on ignore, I know it's not ideal for you but if we limit people's ability to reach out we could be doing far, far more potential harm imo.

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Well by that you're saying they won't get any help, which is just untrue, as the mod post pointed out. Also, in this instance, the responsibility to the many, MANY lurkers and members heavily outweighs the right of the very few.

Also, the ability to ignore threads on the OT front page would be the minimum to ensure this.

 

[AZ Greg]

I don't want to sound insensitive nor do I want to say it is important that these people get help if they are indeed on a dark path,

But I feel the suicide threads are just inappropriate to have at all and leaving them open as long as they are. There should be a measured, canned response from a moderator and a lock of the thread. People can PM the person all they want — it just feels like this public display of multiple people per month wanting to kill themselves brings down the overall atmosphere here and maybe makes other people think it's "okay" to go down the same path. And maybe they won't even post about it before they do it.

That's just my opinion about it.

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I agree with this wholeheartedly.

The old place would provide resources and then lock the thread. To the best of my knowledge, people weren't running out and acting on it just because their thread was locked. And, as a result, you don't have the perpetual negativity that leads to even more of it.

Mods: Do you guys have any data that supports your methodology of leaving the threads open leading to less suicides vs. the other method?

 

[Haubergeon]

Something I picked up on pretty quickly after I joined this place was there's a general sense of intense loneliness from a lot of people on Era - something I unfortunately share. I'm not sure what about the culture has led to such a pervasive sense of isolation from people of a certain age group.

 

[Kyuuji]

Well by that you're saying they won't get any help, which is just untrue, as the mod post pointed out. Also, in this instance, the responsibility to the many, MANY lurkers and members heavily outweighs the right to the very few.

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I think it's important to consider the impact even if it's decided the most effective route. Some seeing that a suicide related thread is instantly locked on creation might steady their hand in doing the same, not seeing the behind the scenes support given. Locking a thread is typically a moderation response to something deemed bad/inappropriate after all. I think it's likely that changing to the instant-lock would dissuade some people from reaching out here at all. It's whether they feel comfortable reaching out professionally in the first instance or whether that's the encouragement they were seeking.

 

[astro]

Well by that you're saying they won't get any help, which is just untrue, as the mod post pointed out. Also, in this instance, the responsibility to the many, MANY lurkers and members heavily outweighs the right of the very few.

Also, the ability to ignore threads on the OT front page would be the minimum to ensure this.

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It's not untrue because I said limit not prevent.

How would it limit available help?

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By reducing amount of people who see it. People
do not tend to browse further back. Bumping keeps threads alive and allows new people to see them.

I think it's important to consider the impact even if it's decided the most effective route. Some seeing that a suicide related thread is instantly locked on creation might steady their hand in doing the same, not seeing the behind the scenes support given. Locking a thread is typically a moderation response to something deemed bad/inappropriate after all. I think it's likely that changing to the instant-lock would dissuade people from reaching out here at all. It's whether they feel comfortable reaching out professionally in the first instance or whether that's the encouragement they were seeking.

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Exactly.

 

[Calamari41]

Making a separate news area is what Neogaf did when it turned full Nazi. And it'll be used to silence minorities.

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This is the kind of catastrophizing that people are talking about. Some suggest in good faith the idea of expanding sub-forums, as many other communities do, and it becomes about Nazis and active and intentional silencing of minorities.

 

[Surface of Me]

ERA is not a healthy place to be, especially for people who have anxiety, depression and other issues that are exacerbated by an endless flood of nihilistic shit that people post.

I'm extremely concerned that suicide threats aren't instantly locked and reported on, especially when you factor in that people who are making suicide threads are very likely being influenced by what they are consuming on ERA as well. It's beyond reckless that mods let these threads stay open and let untrained posters deal with someone who may or may not be having a "cry for help".

Not to mention, it isn't healthy for the community at all if suicide threads are just allowed to be on the top of the OT page for an entire day, it's not fair to people who suffer from suicidal idolization if they see a thread about self arm get flooded with support, and not fair for people who are just on ERA to see a thread where someone is threatening self harm. There really seems to be a complete lack of regard for basically everyone else and the impact these threads have on others in the community.



If your average internet poster can talk someone out of suicide, then a trained professional will almost always have the toolset to do that. And what about the flip side? How can you be sure that random people on the internet aren't going to say the wrong thing and cause far more issues than just locking the thread, contacting authorities if needed, or posting a the suicide hotline? This blind faith on the general ERA posting population to handle suicide threads is insane.

There has been a lot of talk about moderation of the last few months, and by far the lack of any action on suicide threads is probably the most reckless shit I've seen in regards to the mods choosing to do nothing and letting the threads stay up and have untrained people openly comment and "help" OP's who are claiming to wanting to self harm or end their lives.

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I cant imagine how terrible I would feel if I found myself in that dark place, trying to reach out, and then immediately being told "nah we aint got time for this".

 

[Deleted member 5086]

Oh man, more things like the avengers tag thread! It felt like the entire community was participating.

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Yeah, that's the kind of thing we're hoping to do more of. It was a spontaneous idea that ended up being very successful, but that doesn't mean we can't make fun events like that a more regular thing.

 

[Deleted member 21411]

I've had some bpd episodes in the past where I wanted banned, and I promise you I will again. I can't speak for everyone but is close enough where you can have a cry for help but far enough where it doesn't impact your personal life. So like if I'm gonna crack I don't want people who see me everyday or know me well to see it and thus it'll show up here. Obviously there's more to it than that but I think that's part of the reason you see these type of threads.

Times are hard for alot of us and that's a world issue. I think era mods and admins have done an excellent job considering the mere scope of the job and the fact they are volunteers. I think more positive events and things where people feel seen are good things. I think of simple things like avengers/fallen or hell rate the avatar.

I would put my vote for more, you are seen moments I guess but I don't have a firm foundation of what. I've attempted to do that in the past in the mental health thread and discord and unfortunately due to my own deteriorating mental state I've become more closed off and unable to provide that.

 

[PeakPointMatrix]

This is such a tough issue all around, but I feel like offering a listening voice can't hurt anyone in their darkest times. I'd hate for anyone in such a fragile state to have their one avenue of care and concern immediately taken away with a thread lock. Sure, the hotline exists, but it can never hurt to have more options to show people care.

 

[Deleted member 8561]

I cant imagine how terrible I would feel if I found myself in that dark place, trying to reach out, and then immediately being told "nah we aint got time for this".

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Well, that was policy both on GAF and iirc on ERA. I don't want to comment on the nature of the threads ERA has been having cause that will single people out and comment on a volatile moment in their life, so I'm going to leave my comments to speak for themselves.

 

[NoName999]

This is the kind of catastrophizing that people are talking about. Some suggest in good faith the idea of expanding sub-forums, as many other communities do, and it becomes about Nazis and active and intentional silencing of minorities.

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This website is a constant target for the alt right. Let's not act as if they won't take advantage.

But ignoring that, it's also not a good idea to shield bad news. It's something people will have to deal with.

And as I said before, if the negativity of Era that was the cause, people wouldn't be making topics saying that they're gonna kill themselves. It's basically their last cry for help, they wouldn't say it towards Era if they truly felt like no one here likes them.

 

[Deleted member 8561]

Splitting OT up into separate sections will do nothing to prevent people with anxiety/depression/hopelessness (or really anyone) consuming media and news that drives those emotions on ERA. If people had control (and almost everyone lacks the ability to turn off the part of their brain that craves these "bad news" stories, its an evolutionary trait), they would honestly avoid ERA at large.

It's a solution with good heart but it's kinda pointless.

 

[Lilyth]

I think it's important to consider the impact even if it's decided the most effective route. Some seeing that a suicide related thread is instantly locked on creation might steady their hand in doing the same, not seeing the behind the scenes support given. Locking a thread is typically a moderation response to something deemed bad/inappropriate after all. I think it's likely that changing to the instant-lock would dissuade some people from reaching out here at all. It's whether they feel comfortable reaching out professionally in the first instance or whether that's the encouragement they were seeking.

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I don't know if its possible but perhaps new threads could be added automatically to the OT. Other people can then offer support as they are doing already and everyone else can use the ignore function.

 

[Nepenthe]

This is the kind of catastrophizing that people are talking about. Some suggest in good faith the idea of expanding sub-forums, as many other communities do, and it becomes about Nazis and active and intentional silencing of minorities.

Click to shrink...

Another thing we take into account as staff- and I think would help members as well before even jumping into threads- is understanding the reality of ERA's existence in relation to the Internet at large.

1.) We didn't just break off from the old place. We took a bunch of folks with us, the same folks people here complain also made the old place insufferable.

2) We are actively watched and hounded by alt-right groups.

3.) The alt-right thrives on the burden of innocence- that without proof of bigotry, it ceases to exist- for the sake of gaslighting and trolling.

The members here who are most vulnerable are going to interpret posts differently from others in these contexts, and it's not necessarily an indictment of the person posting either. It's a reflex to protect one's self.

The person you quoted was not even referring to anyone here as Nazis, rather the old place post-separation. But on the other side of the coin, you would be hard-pressed to say this place doesn't shut out minorities when staff have been trying to make inroads to various minority groups for them feeling, well, shut out. Whether or not it's intentional isn't really the point- the point is it's understandable why someone would interpret further dismissal of their experiences to be a result of further fracturing the forum.

Again, ERA is going to be the place we collectively make it. If you want to work towards the goal of it being a positive, progressive haven, then not getting upset at a minority for posting from their point of view would be a start.

 

[AcidCat]

But ignoring that, it's also not a good idea to shield bad news. It's something people will have to deal with.

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There are plenty of news websites where folks can go to get their daily dose of tragedy. It's a question worth asking about what value is brought to OT by constantly posting negative news stories, especially threads that simply point something out without prompting any larger conversation other than a chorus of "that's awful/the world is fucked" replies.

 

[Ctrl Alt Del]

I haven' seen it, personally, but I don't browse this section too often. I do back a more open space to discuss those matter. The open nature of forums means moderation and peer pressure will direct the community to more or less sound advice - at the very least the most basic first step of getting actual qualified mental health help. Nothing is more important.

 

[Deleted member 8561]

This website is a constant target for the alt right. Let's not act as if they won't take advantage.

But ignoring that, it's also not a good idea to shield bad news. It's something people will have to deal with.

And as I said before, if the negativity of Era that was the cause, people wouldn't be making topics saying that they're gonna kill themselves. It's basically their last cry for help, they wouldn't say it towards Era if they truly felt like no one here likes them.

Click to shrink...

The issue isn't avoiding "bad news", the issue is the constantly overdramatic, nihilistic editorialization by people on ERA that floods threads. And when you have a portion (potentially sizable) of the population that specifically gets their "informed" opinions from ERA, you get people crafting views and opinions from literally uninformed shit posts thinking it's a fair interpretation of events to consume.

And I heavily disagree with the underlined. ERA is to a lot of people the only place they routinely post and visit. It's completely reasonable that ERA can be compounding, to what ever degree, the issues they face because they are consuming it at face value, and then turn around to seek help on the very forum without understanding ERA is a net-negative in their life.