Recently I saw a post that started a new thread and that seemed to show signs of mental illness (hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia). Because I don’t want to publicly imply someone is mentally ill, I won’t provide a link. I almost flagged the post, but it occurred to me that posts like that don’t violate any rules. (Do they?) To be clear, my inclination to flag arose from my concern for the OP, not outrage. Also, I realize that these posts may be inspired by certain drugs and that I’m not an authority on either drugs or mental illness.
Someone else who advised the OP to get help was mod-noted for it, so it seems that such comments are not allowed, but I also don’t want to take up mods’ valuable time by flagging something that shouldn’t be flagged.
If I see something like this in the future, is it best to
a. simply ignore it?
b. notify a mod?
c. ignore the apparent mental health issue and respond if I’m so inclined?
Basically it is not in the power or capabilities of the Moderators to diagnose mental illness.
So if they don’t violate our rules, we thank you for the flag and clear it.
Early in the thread’s run it is surely worthwhile to flag it, it could easily be a Troll playing games.
But after a few days, probably not worth flagging the OP.
The one in question is only a little over a day old, so flagging it would be quite understandable. I can tell you this one has drawn several flags and is under some discussion in the pit thread devoted to trolls.
At this time we don’t think it is a troll and we know we’re not qualified to judge mental health.
I was wondering about this, too. It’s not against the rules, obviously, but I presume we’d want to avoid allowing something that could potentially harm a poster.
Also, I considered replying to the discussion about pornography, but I’m slightly worried my screen name might induce further paranoia in the OP.
I don’t follow your point. Which poster could come to harm from posting or being posted about? I’m not disagreeing with you; I’m simply not understanding whatever point you’re trying to make.
I thought it odd that, in forums ostensibly aimed at fighting ignorance, folk seemed to be encouraged to simply respond “Yes” or “No” as to whether they believe in demons and that porn is sinful. I stayed out of that thread - and the subsequent one here in ATMB. But it seemed to me that the responses: you need mental health assistance; you are on drugs; or you are pulling our collective leg were all valid responses. To expect folk to engage that OP as tho it was somehow legitimate struck me as odd.
PMing a moderator is probably the best thing to do, and they can take it from there, if they think it’s warranted.
Years ago, I posted on a now-defunct board for R.E.M. fans, and someone posted a suicide threat. When the webmaster found out about it, he shut the whole site down temporarily and did a search, and within a matter of minutes, two police officers were knocking on her door. (She was in England, IIRC.)
Yeah - I see that. But it seemed kinda silly to treat that as a sane proposition to be discussed, rather than something that was either really out there or complete bullshit.
But we as a community can take a couple of stances towards OPs or even posts we see as having little value. Whether they are RW screeds, CT nutbags, physics crackpots, extreme religious witnessing, or the ramblings of someone seemingly mentally ill.
My vote is, like with trolls, the first rule is don’t engage. DNFTT, whether they’re or a troll or not a troll works. And works great.
If that thread had 2 posts from the usual suspects who simply cannot avoid jumping in, and then crickets as the thread sinks like a stone into the deep but fine sediment of our million-thread history, we would not now be suffering with 3 threads on the topic, one of which has been closed as a train wreck.
At first it sounds fun to poke the loonie as Monty Python may have put it. But oddly enough, that never ends well except in a comedy sketch.
So my rule (which I admittedly did not follow in that thread ) is simple. If you’re tempted to comment on someone’s metal health, simply skip commenting at all.
The OP asked whether or not you believed in demons, and if you had a similar experience with respect to what the OP described (the pornography issue).
While making accusations is going to come off as a personal attack and is forbidden outside of the Pit, that doesn’t mean that you have to treat the OP as sane. The OP asked yes or no. So answer no, and explain that from a factual viewpoint you do not believe that they are real. No one is requiring you to believe in demons to answer the OP. Just don’t attack the poster.
This, as worded, comes off as a personal attack. It’s an accusation, not a response.
This is also an accusation and not a response.
This is basically an accusation of trolling.
Maybe instead go poking around on google and get some cites for what modern psychology has to say about the belief in demons. But again, don’t make accusations towards the poster. Instead put the focus on the factual cites. In other words, don’t say “psychologists think you are nuts because…” Instead say something like “modern psychologists think that the belief in demons means…” and don’t reference the poster at all.
It all boils down to treating other users with respect. You don’t have to agree with them, but you can’t attack and accuse them.
I’m NOT complaining about the thread at all … and not looking for a bright line … but with to current direction in the thread, what is the current guidance about “witnessing”? Broad stroke general idea.
But when someone says that female demons come to them in their sleep, and take their seed, and they aren’t joking, are we just supposed to smile and say “that’s nice?” We can debate that a political opinion, a food opinion, a movie opinion, is wrong, but we’re not supposed to say anything at someone displaying obvious mental issues.?
Follow the golden rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Question for you: if someone suggested that you are mentally ill, would you consider it a personal insult or not? Would you complain to the moderators, or let it pass?
Another question, for you, and others. What if a poster were merely stupid? What if they repeatedly demonstrate themself to be a moron with every post? Is it alright to say”this person is a moron” on this board? Even if it is objectively true?
Of course it could be presented as an ignorant insult, but if expressed out of concern (even very mistaken concern) not in the least. No more than expressing the concern that the chest pain described might be heart disease and suggesting a doctor visit; could be wrong, ignorant even, but not an insult
Conflating an illness with being a moron is the sort of ignorance I hope we are marginally reducing here.
If someone says that they fell and that they now cannot walk because the pain, but that everything is fine because it is normal for that to happen after a fall, is it an insult that tell them they should seek professional help?
) is simple. If you’re tempted to comment on someone’s metal health, simply skip commenting at all.