# Should threads started by users with mental health issues have a disclaimer in the OP? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 11, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890 "2016-04-11T15:33:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/41 "2016-04-12T15:52:37Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > We have at times considered establishing a “Mixed Nuts” forum to which certain posters could be restricted. But this is at most wishful thinking.🙂 > … > [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Banned to the looney bin! I could get behind this. Ummm, not sure if I should make this public knowledge, but they did make a “Nuts” forum… and called it “SDMB”. Regards, digs [\*GP = \*Grammar Pedant; \*TS/f = \*Thin Skin re: feminism; _NHEaaC =_ Not Hugged Enough as a Child; _🆒 =_ Dad Who Thinks Being in a Band 40 Years Ago Means He’s Still Cool] ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/42 "2016-04-12T16:22:12Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > No. > We have a number of posters that _claimed_ to have mental health issues. We have no idea which of these have been confirmed by medical professionals, which of these have been self-diagnosed by hypochondriacs, and which of these have been spurious claims by attention whores who would just _love_ to get the type of spotlight you would choose to shine on them. Well then they’d be trolls. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/43 "2016-04-12T16:29:58Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Well then they’d be trolls. And you’d be feeding them, while at the same time pissing off sincere posters by labeling their threads, and also feeding into the fears of hypochondriacs. Way to go! ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/44 "2016-04-12T16:51:18Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Ummm, not sure if I should make this public knowledge, but they did make a “Nuts” forum… and called it “SDMB”. > > Regards, > digs [SIZE=“1”] That explains a lot. I woke up one morning and had an account here. Not sure how it happened . . . ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/45 "2016-04-12T17:26:32Z")
I think it’s a terrific idea! After all, there isn’t NEARLY enough stigma attached to mental health issues… why don’t we slap up a bunch of extra hoops to jump through for anyone who had been honest enough to come forward and talk about their issues? Myself, I suffer from IBMMS (Ignorant Bullcrap Makes Me Sarcastic) Perhaps you’ve heard of it? I’m told there is no cure. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/46 "2016-04-12T17:42:19Z")
> [@janis\_and\_c0](#): > > I think it’s a terrific idea! After all, there isn’t NEARLY enough stigma attached to mental health issues… why don’t we slap up a bunch of extra hoops to jump through for anyone who had been honest enough to come forward and talk about their issues? > > Myself, I suffer from IBMMS (Ignorant Bullcrap Makes Me Sarcastic) Perhaps you’ve heard of it? I’m told there is no cure. Well, you made it to this support group, and that’s a good start. ---
**Author:** ![janis\_and\_c0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janis_and_c0/32/21_2.png) [@janis\_and\_c0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janis_and_c0)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/47 "2016-04-12T18:00:01Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Well, you made it to this support group, and that’s a good start. Sweeeet. Is there coffee? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/48 "2016-04-12T18:07:32Z")
> [@janis\_and\_c0](#): > > Sweeeet. Is there coffee? You want it with Irish or Scotch? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/49 "2016-04-12T19:03:33Z")
Last Thursday I was 1/3 maudlin and 2/3 peeved. Do I get a label? ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Imp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Imp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Imp)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/50 "2016-04-12T19:04:44Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > I can’t imagine the OP was inspired by any other poster besides **John Clay**. [Really?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=789944) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/51 "2016-04-12T19:08:47Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Last Thursday I was 1/3 maudlin and 2/3 peeved. Do I get a label? Not naming names, but I’ve heard some posters call you “Moderator” behind your back. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/52 "2016-04-12T19:14:32Z")
Now you’ve done it. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/53 "2016-04-12T20:56:27Z")
Tell me, how quickly do you think this board would be sued into oblivion by automatically posting claims of a person’s mental health status when they post in this forum? Yeah, it’s an extremely stupid idea. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2016, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/54 "2016-04-12T21:10:27Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Tell me, how quickly do you think this board would be sued into oblivion by automatically posting claims of a person’s mental health status when they post in this forum? > > Yeah, it’s an extremely stupid idea. Yes, it’s a silly idea, but as noted by the OP, it wasn’t really serious. But the answer to your question is “never”. Because it’s not “a person’s” mental health status that is hypothetically being flagged, it’s the status of an anonymous and (theoretically) unidentifiable anonymous denizen of the Interwebs. And it’s a status that would either be self-identified anyway, or else assigned on the basis of evidence. Just like user names will show up with designations like “Suspended” or “Banned”, I think the OP is suggesting somewhat tongue-in-cheek that it might be amusing to have user names that show up with a designation like “Idiot”. I actually quite like the idea. In fact it could be expanded – there are many other attributes worth noting – we could have “Idiot”, “Pompous Ass”, “Habitual Liar”, “Pretentious Douchebag”, and lots of others, nominated by popular acclaim and vetted by the mods. “Obsessive Lunatic” might be one of the more popular nominations. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![zuer-coli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ba9def/32.png) [@zuer-coli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zuer-coli)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/55 "2016-04-13T02:11:06Z")
I consider myself mentally ill, I have a diagnosis and see a Psychiatrist etc. but why should you believe me, or why should it matter? As pointed out up thread, it is fairly easy to discern when a person is wacko. One can always ignore the post, or if you really want to waste your time and engauge with such folk… A common saying has it thus; doing the samething over and over and expeting the same result…is insane. I myself don’t post much, usually someone else has said something similar to what I might have said, only their formulation is much better, more succinct, more infomed and probably has fewer spelling errors… Zuer-coli ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2016, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/56 "2016-04-13T13:00:00Z")
There’s nothing wrong with the idea of a subtle disclaimer at the beginning of such threads. **WARNING!! THIS POSTER IS WELL KNOWN TO BE CRAZIER THAN A SHITHOUSE RAT!! RESPOND AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!** Yeah, that’ll work. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2016, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/57 "2016-04-15T13:20:25Z")
I want to be alerted in the OP if the thread is started by an asshole. Personally, I think being a major league asshole is a mental health problem. Is it defined as such by mental health professionals? I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2016, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/58 "2016-04-15T13:44:55Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > We have a number of posters that have admitted mental health issues. Why limit it to those who have acknowledged they have mental health issues? I think they are far more reliable than those who are nuts but refuse to admit it. We could set up a panel of Very Smart People to decide who gets the Napoleon-in-a-straightjacket icon. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2016, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/59 "2016-04-15T13:45:55Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I want to be alerted in the OP if the thread is started by an asshole. Is there an emoji for that? ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2016, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890/60 "2016-04-15T13:56:57Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Is there an emoji for that? I won’t take credit for this, but **Colibri** upthread: **)\*(** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-threads-started-by-users-with-mental-health-issues-have-a-disclaimer-in-the-op/751890.md?page=4)