So, what could possibly go on in this Angels head eh? The amount off distress on these boards and the lack of actual support there is? So, let's see...I can't PM a moderator about my concerns for gods knows what reason, maybe because I'm still newish
PM's are a privilege that are earned over time, by regular posting. As someone up thread says, there is a a "report to moderator" link on every single post, which is not restricted & can be used by any member. There is also the Need a Mod thread pinned at the top of the Crisis Room, if you put a post on there (it doesn't need to contain any detail - a :wave: is enough) a mod will then contact you.
I've just been reading posts in the crisis forum, and watching how people constantly deny support and end up just refusing it, it's not a game of whose feeling worst off, or what not neither, members share what they have done, which is honestly pointless, I know it's called 'Crisis forum' but it's not a 'crisis service' NSHN can't actually offer immediate support for such actions, unless a moderator is willing to call the police after getting the IP's or a friend of yours, many people there often refuse to go to A&E after disclosing quite sensitive issues and sharing that they are at risk. This forum can only really offer so much advice.
When people are feeling vulnerable - they need to be heard. The internet is a safe place to be heard - in that it is anonymous and you can say things here that you may be unable / unwilling to say in real life.
None of the moderators will call the police - it is not our place to - we have no idea who posters are, where they are and no access or ability to trace a person. We are here to moderate what is posted online & to be sensitive to our members and their needs.
You are right when you say that it is a
forum, not a service. Ultimately in a time of crisis, the only one who can make a call for help, is the person themselves - and we know that it is not always possible. If someone makes a choice not to seek help, then, sadly, there is little that the mods can do.
Moderators are volunteers, with lives and issues of their own, and as such have no powers of intervention.
NSHN is a place that is encouraging self injury rather than encouraging people to stop. Once someone writes "trigger" it is an alert that they intend to post something that is obviously going to set some people off. I think that the whole idea of "trigger posting" should be abolished and new rules created to reflect the changes.
I am now speaking as an active poster, not a moderator. For me, the trigger warnings are a pointer as to the threads which I may, or may not be able to cope with at any one time. I want to be supportive, but there are times when I cannot cope with issues that are close to my own - so avoid threads which may act as a trigger. To say that NSHN is encouraging self injury is untrue and unfair. It is not as simple as telling someone to to stop. For many, SH is a symptom of a complex set of issues, that a stranger on the internet can not possibly understand / advise on. We are a support forum - there are many who have left SH behind, but acknowledge how very difficult that is & wish to support those who are still on the journey through it.
If you are feeling very fragile, then it is probably best to avoid the support rooms and stick to the off topic rooms. There is also the Calm View facility, which enables a poster to only access the off topic areas - which is available on request to admins.
NSHN is a supportive community, but can not in any way take the place of real life support. There are many threads directing people to different sources of support and ultimately, the responsibility and choice is theirs and theirs alone.
We have lost much loved members, and know just how dreadful mental health problems are, but we are not professionals, and can not, as such, be held accountable for actions that people post about - we can moderate posts, to make them less upsetting / informative etc, we can signpost to other services, but we cannot force people to access them.
Our members know that we are a non judgemental community of people who want to help. We are all at different stages on our journey, and can only offer what we are able to, at that particular time.
As you post more and get to know us all, hopefully you will see that we are not encouraging SH- in fact, the complete opposite.