Posted by Dinah on November 19, 2003, at 9:15:38
In reply to Re: 4/5 year ban for fake suicide postings?? » ace, posted by Elle2021 on November 19, 2003, at 4:11:38
Elle, I tend to agree with you in a lot of ways. For one thing, I remember my own suicide threats from my teens, and how they were really trying to convey something completely different than a desire to commit suicide. However poorly they succeeded.
I also agree in theory with Linehan about suicidal gestures. That they are the only way some people have to try to convey the depth of their pain, and try to get the help they need. There is a chapter in the book "The Mummy at the Dining Room Table" entitled "The Woman Who Hanged Herself to Check her Husband's Response Time". The therapist was initially appalled, but then tried to understand the immense pain that must be behind such an action.
All that being said, however, there is also the toll to the community to be considered (which I see from your post that you also recognize). And also.... Babble is not always the least stressful place on earth. Even under the best of circumstances there are eruptions and frustrations. With Dr. Bob, with other posters. We can try to pass over what would bother us, but still, this can be a stressful place. For a while there it was a main topic in therapy for me. And as an aside, I have the most immense respect for those Babblers who have been able to tolerate being here for a long time without ever acting out their frustrations or leaving. (I don't count myself one of them, so I can say that. I've acted out quite embarassingly at times.)
In addition, this place can't give the level of support that some people need. It's just the nature of the board. It isn't real time, people have their own ups and downs that affect their posting patterns. The internet has limitations that allow for misunderstandings and projection.
As Dr. Bob has frequently admitted, this place isn't and can't be right for everyone.
I won't make any assumptions about who wrote the "P" post, so I don't know if it's true in this case. But if this *is* a second faked suicide (which I am in no way saying it is), I think Dr. Bob should look long and hard whether blocking wouldn't be in the poster's best interest (perhaps with input from the poster's therapeutic support team), quite aside from the effects on the rest of the community which he should also, of course, consider.
Just a meandering thought, related to the nature of this board in general, and making no specific comments on something that we have not yet received confirmation of.
poster:Dinah
thread:281008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20031008/msgs/281184.html