Depression Support Group
Depression is a real and debilitating condition that is often misunderstood by family and friends. Its meaning can range from a prolonged period of sadness to an actual mental illness with specific symptoms. Find and share experiences with others who are going through the same struggles.
hi everyone in depression -
judging from the amount of hostile email in my inbox, it appears that DS is being accused everything from not banning enough people on the site to banning too many folks. i've said this before, but given the current state of things, i'd like to repost some of the 'secrets' behind DS and our abuse policies:
1) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE understand that we'd like to never ban anyone from DS, and the vast majority of the time when we do take that drastic action, it's because a member has been extreme in their violation of our Terms. 99.9% of the folks on DS have no problem with our policies, and we never touch or deal with them at all, except to answer their tech support questions.
2) let me be specific: if a member threatens another member with physical harm, or brutally insults one or a series of members, they will typically be warned, and when it happens again, we have no choice but to remove them. Understand that we are a place of support. It's simply unacceptable to berate, harrass or threaten someone else on our community. I think you'd all agree? Please understand that we take this issue VERY seriously.
3) We're all about second chances - we understand that folks make mistakes, and hiding behind the computer can cause all of us to say things we'll regret...but we can't continue to ignore abuse forever.
I hope you all understand that we have no bias at DailyStrength...we don't know any of you personally, and we're only interested in providing a warm and supportive place. I'm particularly disappointed in those of you who choose to believe another member and immediately accuse us of treachery. Before you attack and yell at us, can I ask you to at least enquire so that we can give you our side of what's going on?
I don't know what to say...I'm stunned at how the focus of this community has moved from one of warmth and caring to bitterness, and I want to know how to stop that immediately. I look forward to your responses as to how we can get back on track.
doug
judging from the amount of hostile email in my inbox, it appears that DS is being accused everything from not banning enough people on the site to banning too many folks. i've said this before, but given the current state of things, i'd like to repost some of the 'secrets' behind DS and our abuse policies:
1) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE understand that we'd like to never ban anyone from DS, and the vast majority of the time when we do take that drastic action, it's because a member has been extreme in their violation of our Terms. 99.9% of the folks on DS have no problem with our policies, and we never touch or deal with them at all, except to answer their tech support questions.
2) let me be specific: if a member threatens another member with physical harm, or brutally insults one or a series of members, they will typically be warned, and when it happens again, we have no choice but to remove them. Understand that we are a place of support. It's simply unacceptable to berate, harrass or threaten someone else on our community. I think you'd all agree? Please understand that we take this issue VERY seriously.
3) We're all about second chances - we understand that folks make mistakes, and hiding behind the computer can cause all of us to say things we'll regret...but we can't continue to ignore abuse forever.
I hope you all understand that we have no bias at DailyStrength...we don't know any of you personally, and we're only interested in providing a warm and supportive place. I'm particularly disappointed in those of you who choose to believe another member and immediately accuse us of treachery. Before you attack and yell at us, can I ask you to at least enquire so that we can give you our side of what's going on?
I don't know what to say...I'm stunned at how the focus of this community has moved from one of warmth and caring to bitterness, and I want to know how to stop that immediately. I look forward to your responses as to how we can get back on track.
doug
And besides, lets not bite the hand that feeds us.
Thanks doug!
Doug, yeah I can see where that may cause an increase in banned members. That sort of system needs tweaked I believe for different types of sites, it works well on that type of board since the main objective there is to trade sportscards and talk sports and cursing and harassment really isn't dealt with so much so it takes awhile for anyone to get banned. I know with a site like this it would be different. Cursing and stuff is a way for people with issues to vent, also there are so many different types of people here and considering the type of board it is it is understandable that people may get easily hurt/angered/etc. It would certainly take some thought on how to go about something like that. As far as an ignore feature, I am all for that. Every board I belong to (minus one) has the feature and it certainly does serve it's purpose lol.
Thanks so much for your help and looking into the issue at hand :)
~R~
first let me say that i am thrilled this site exists, so thank you for all your hard work. i have gotten a lot of support and help here as well as making some really good friends.
i do feel we need an ignore button as some members make other's blood boil just by being here as they will never agree to disagree. this feature could have helped some of the hostility a lot sooner if our requests for that had been answered sooner.
i also do feel however that some members have been banned with no warnings and no chance to defend themselves. you say everyone gets warned at least once but i know of at least 3 ppl that got no warning and were booted. yes, they could be lying but my gut tells me that they are not lying. this is prolly my only complaint other than no ignore button. i do feel that there is some unfairness in who gets banned and who seems to be safe to attack at will.
please just make sure that anyone in the wrong or being banned does actually get a warning to ensure that they have a chance to change their behhavior as this will end some of the distrust some have of you and your colleagues. i know it is hard to cover it all but we do thank you for the efforts you make for us all and understand it is not the easiest of places to run.
I do agree with bmoney, I think it would be really great if you could set up an open chat room, so that we can all chat at once. I don't know how hard that would be for you to set up, but can you look into it?
Once again, thank you for this site, and everything you have done for all of us!
Nothing personal, but nobody is going to want to stick around with a website that restrictive. "post bumping"?
Are you kidding me? I would never tolerate any threats, but swearing is sometimes a simple form of expression whether YOU agree with it or not.
Post Bumping??? WTF???
We do need to vent sometimes, I understand that, we do need to feel we are getting noticed, we do want to feel like a somebody. We want help, understanding and a place where we feel comfortable in a world that does not always understand us.
We are allowed different opinions, heated debates even.
Are we really so void of care for anyone else that we just lash out at anyone any time we feel like it? Depression does not stop anyone talking a deep breath, sitting back and thinking before they type. I have always voiced my opinions, I have never been deliberately cruel, I see all of you and I see me. We have depression. I also see that we have learned that others suffer and if we don't want that for ourselves, we should not want to inflict it on each other.
Again I go back to the word SUPPORT this is Dougs' intention for this site and I thank him for all he does for all of us. Can we please support Doug and DS too?
Can we try to support each other (I know most of us do)
Can't we just agree to disagree sometimes and just stop all this toxic poison that has been floating around for months now?
We are in control of this, let's make it what it is supposed to be. Let us have someone where our depression is helped, not hindered.
{{hugs to everyone}}
(even Doug if he loses some more weight) LOL
I was just giving an example of the system they go by on the other site, I didn't mean post bumping/swearing/etc for here...lol. It was the only things I could think of offhand that I remembered from that other site, that's all. As I stated, I can understand at a site such as this that it is a form of expression for some, and often happens. I have no problems with that whatsoever.
It was merely a suggestion. It may not be a good idea at all for a site like this, just trying to put some ideas out there. Even if that idea was totally not acceptable, someone may see it and think of another that they would not have thought of without seeing that specific suggestion. Sorry to have come across in the way you thought. I appreciate your thoughts!
~R~