I'm considering starting a new (communal) blog for the mentally ill, but...

I will join :)) & I would be happy to join.

You could just spread the word right now on community sites. You could also have an ad on the pc on certain sites. Put ads up at local therapist offices or places where mentally ill people are which is everywhere really.

I hope someone else has better ideas and I hope you find what you are looking for.

Good luck, serenityNOW!

@nofurbelowsbatgirl – I’ll PM you the address, and thanks for the support!

Ok thank you! And no problem. Considering the last couple of days I have had, lord knows I could use it. :)

I think it’s a great idea. I’d be happy to help you name it if you’d like.

@Sunny2 – I already have a name :) Would you be interested in contributing, or do you know anyone?

Is this too spammy, Mods?

@Sunny2 – Sent you a PM :)

I like the idea a lot. Good for you for realizing a need and that you have the ability to help. I would be delighted to help with a project such as this if you have a need.

I think it’s a good idea. Perhaps you could use it as a repository for research articles, legal discussions, and general information about mental health. Where people can share knowledge and experiences.

My concern would be how you will moderate the site. If you’re going to let people post to your site and make comments, you will get people who say inappropriate and cruel things. You may also have people use the site to threaten suicide or who become disturbed by things they read. Some people may act out. How will you manage this? Will you be liable in any way? I don’t know – I’m asking – but I think you should find out what your legal responsibilities are.

I was thinking exactly what @Bellatrix said but did not want to sound negative. If people start “acting up” and arguing with each other or getting upset with the moderation or posting things that are inappropriate or worse, how will you determine who is a troll or what is steering such posts?

I would join. Be nice to have somewhere where others understood how I were feeling, and I wouldn’t be judged because of who I am.

I think it would nice, there are a lot of mentally ill people who don’t leave home due to the nature of the illness/ paranoia, etc.., so an online site would be ideal. Good idea!!

I’m thinking I might be a little trigger-happy on this one. First, @Bellatrix and @jca – bring up points I didn’t even consider. The community of people with some of these maladies (bipolar, schizophrenia, etc.) can be a bit “erratic” to put it mildly. Even me. Ha!

Then there’s the whole technical aspect. I’ve been quite taken with Squarespace recently – ease-of-use, and customer service top the list, but they don’t really have a robust blog-management/multiple contributor “system,” yet. (Apparently they’re working on it.) The options are users either being able to modify all the site’s content, or be what they call a “trusted commenter.” I’d like contributors to have their own little “corner” with their own blog and then have a communal posting area for the art and “essays”, which could be modded. (There is a moderator role, along with aforementioned options.) Of course, there’s Wordpress, but I don’t know much about Wordpress, besides the fact that it’s called Wordpress. On the total opposite spectrum is Tumblr, which I also don’t know much about, besides the face that – and this is totally my opinion – it seems a bit “goofy.” Still though, at this point anything, and I mean anything is on the table.

Okay, time to put my thinking-cap on, and be resourceful over here. Please, please keep this thread going and I’ll keep you all posted. The more people that are interested, the better!

I’m interested. You might also want to look at forums as well as blogs.

Trigger happy!!! Haha. The mentally ill are “erratic”? Who’d of thunk it? We are really edumacated people :) I love when we get ideas we can be off like greyhounds. When I answer many of my fluther comments I do that :/ I’m trigger happy on threads lol Sometimes I get going so fast that i will even type words 2 – 3 times lol. It’s OK @serenityNOW this is why you asked the question right? It is hopefully so people can direct you to the correct path for doing the right thing.

@Bellatrix Gave awesome advice.

A friend of mine started a Toastmasters group for the local mental health unit; he called it “The Mad Chatters”. He doesn’t talk about it much, but it’s been in existence now for a few years, so between that and the support you’re seeing here, I’d say it’d be worth the effort. Good luck to ya!

@serenityNOW perhaps try and get some legal advice just to make sure you are aware of the pitfalls legally. How about talking to people who run support groups (in the real world) about the problems they encounter and how they manage them? You can be sure you will come across similar and perhaps in an amplified way. I always think informed is armed. So do your research and due dilligence so you are at least going in to it with your eyes wide open. Perhaps you can try to find someone calm and fair to moderate for you? Someone who has worked with people with mental health issues would be a good option.

The idea is good.

@Bellatrix – Thanks for the thoughtful advice. One of my best-buddie’s father is a lawyer, so I’ll see if he can advise.

@downtide @Headhurts – I’ll keep you guys informed. Thanks for the interest. I’m going to keep on doing my homework, and see what I can dig up.
@peridot – The “Mad Chatters” – that’s so damn hilarious! Great name.

@downtide – I know there are free forum set ups – I’m looking at these guys right now – Moot Maybe I can embed it in the site…