How can we improve the forums? Your suggestions and comments please

[Chris_B]

Hi all, this thread is a running commentary for all members on things for improvements to the forums. This can be anything from how it looks, the categories, to moderation, community rules etc.

While we might not be able to implement everything straightaway, or keep everyone happy all of the time, we'd like to hear about what you think we can do better.

This is not a thread for discussing the moderation or editing of individual posts - if you have questions about this please contact the team offline via email modsupport@beyondblue.org.au

To avoid repeating suggestions already received, below are some results from our last user survey giving an indication of which new features people would like to see on the forums. This survey was answered by 1,597 users:

44% - Email notification when I have a reply on the forum
39% - Access to the forums via an app
27% - Ability to block seeing posts by specific users
25% - Ability to contact users privately
25% - Ability to use emoticons
25% - Ability to follow posts by specific users
24% - Ability to share links
23% - Forum posts visible only to registered users
22% - A profile, viewable by others users, where I can introduce myself
21% - Ability to quickly access all posts by a particular user
15% - Ability to tag users in a conversation
10% - Ability to share images
6% - Ability to share videos
17% - None of these

Update July 2022 - This discussion has now been closed. Please go to the updated version below to share feedback and follow our updates:

How can we improve the Forums?

[Summer Rose]

Hi Sleepy

Your story is so powerful.

Thank you for sharing your struggles and achievements with so much honesty. I admire your courage and I trust your story will inspire others dealing with a similar condition.

You should be so proud of yourself to have come so far, against such a terrible backdrop of childhood pain and trauma. My eyes are welling with tears just thinking about it.

And thank you so much for sharing your insights about personality disorders. I feel I have learned a lot that will help me to be a better member of this community and the big wide world.

I feel so sad about the stigma you face. If I could, this would be the moment I would give you a hug and have a little cry with you. The world just isn’t fair.

But please know and believe in your heart that this forum is different. You are welcome here and valued here, just the way you are.

Kind thoughts to you

[mmMekitty]

Hi Sleepy & everyone,

On one hand, I can appreciate how much value there is in having specific Sections & Threads dealing with specific groups of conditions & diagnoses. These are places where people can find info & others who've had similar experiences.

On the other hand, I am sure text book & DSM descriptions of conditions & symptoms relating to them do not describe a whole & complex person. I am not convinced any of us fit nice & neatly into any one diagnoses or even have every symptom listed, or to the same level as anyone else.

Being a curious cat, I might speculate in my own head but I do not look at any label such as a diagnosis, & imagine for a moment that tells me everything about someone - perhaps just a glimpse, a small clue, maybe. But that's all.

Broad generalisations are where stereotypes come from.

mmMekitty

[Guest_1643]

Hi summer rose, that's so beautiful thank u.

I was in hopsitla for a few days last month and I told my Dr there I think there is a movement coming where ppl will be proud of their diagnoses, bpd, personality disorders, avpd, ocpd etc...and it is a way of saying "I was terrorised so long and I'm now learning how much it's impacted my coping style," and be proud to have survived.

The Dr said "the movements already happening."

I will happily accept that hug and support xx

[Guest_1584]

Really sorry if that does go on sleep and mb, that's just not good totally out of place and doesn't belong here. l'd think anyone doing stuff like that should be suspended for a mth or two.

l mostly just take a look at my own thread one or two others l can't read back too far in anything else so l'd skim over probably different threads to you also. Can't say l've seen much of any bad will though about in the little l do look at though, very sorry if you or anyone else is coming across it though.

Take care

rx

[white knight]

Hi Sleepy

Re ".... I told my Dr there I think there is a movement coming where ppl will be proud of their diagnoses..."

So just to mention- I'm bipolar2, depression, dysthymia (a constant low mood depression) and lastly anxiety that I have overcome.

To paraphrase the entertainer Stephen Fry"- "If I was reincarnated, I would want to return carrying the same illness because I'd know no other way of living".

That had some impact upon me many years ago and I went further in my thinking because the following is true-

• That without my illnesses I wouldnt be able to write my poetry. Every poem I've ever written (except for the humorous ones) have been written in a highly emotional state not possible when I'm at the bottom of the bipolar "swing" where I'm relatively normal. My poetry is extremely important to me. (Some are in Poetry corner)
• That I wouldnt have the level of empathy and compassion, kindness that I have now. That is also important to me.
• I wouldnt have the darling wife I have because she also has MI issues and we connect and help each other.
• I wouldnt have been able to be creative in other ways like building specially designed cubbies resembling attic houses, building a train with a ride on mower for a loco while unemployed so I could feed my family and inventing things like a motorised skateboard and scooter long before they came out commercially. At a model airplane club I built a batplane where batman was the pilot and Robin parachuted out, I even built a bald eagle 1500mm wide that magpies attacked! How could I live without my extreme thinking?

I wouldnt go as far as I love my illnesses due to the struggles and bad days but I would say I'm happy to have embraced the irreplaceable abilities the illnesses have given me.

TonyWK

[Guest_1643]

Hi Tony,

I have creative interests as well. I can see how sensitivity and even painful life experiences connect to creating and in Ur experience, making poetry.

Thank u for sharing.

[blondguy]

Hi everyone!

Hey Summer Rose...just wanted to say thankyou for your positive post....I have also felt uncomfortable on the Covid thread. I find it sad like yourself as I have a lot of life experience to share

Hey Sleepy....many GPs have better understanding about mental health (a tired mind) nowadays than even 10 years ago. It took me years to ask my 2 Gps for the help I really needed.

I hope everyone has a really good week!

Paul

[Sophie_M]

Hi everyone,

Thank you to everyone sharing such useful and insightful suggestions and feedback for us here. We really appreciate the care and kindness you all bring to the forums.

While we love to see you supporting each other and being open here, we’re popping in to bring this thread back to its purpose of suggesting improvements to the forums. If you’re not sure where to post, there’s a bit of advice on the forums FAQ page, here.

This is not a thread for discussing the moderation or editing of individual posts - if you have questions about this, please contact the team via email at modsupport@beyondblue.org.au

It’s also worth remembering that we’re not able to implement all the suggestions right away, so please know that if you’ve shared some ideas here, they are being taken into account and we’re really grateful for them!

Kind regards,

Sophie M

[golden82]

There seems to be a common thread that most ppl are mentioning (and have been for a while on here) - which is we would like to have some options instead of just being sent an email of unable to post. eg ppl have suggested the option to edit it. Which I think used to be offered and not anymore. This would be a good thing I think so that we have an opportunity to still post something. Failing that, then perhaps for a post to be put up to say that u were unable to post our post. At least that way the other person/ppl know that someone was trying to reply to them. Rather than just not getting anything. It is better transparency for all - and not done behind closed doors. Which can be very difficult for ppl and cause them to not bother with the forums when they could benefit from them and contribute to them. I think transparency is important for ppl to feel heard - especially for mh. I hope in the near future these suggestion by ppl on here re this common issue are considered.

[Katyonthehamsterwheel]

Anyone else have as much trouble as me changing their profile pic? Happens every time. Took me about two hours to make myself a grumpy bag of rubbish when that’s how I felt… and now seems I’m stuck that way. (What did our parents used to say about not pulling faces in case the wind changed? )