I Hate the whole Introduce yourself malarky!

[Omnipod]

This site seems to becoming a bit like what you see in the movies when people have a drink problem and then attend an AA meeting where you stand up in a circle and introduce yourself and admit that you have a drink problem.
WHY do we need this and why are the operators encouraging this?
Before, youd see postings about diabetes, problems people face and solutions. Nowdays it seems to have watered down by introducing yourself, word games, kitchens for sale etc.
I hardly log into this site anymore for these specific reasons.

 

[mo1905]

The kitchen sales are removed as soon as poss and the other stuff is driven by members. As for the introduce yourself thing, that's optional, just ignore it if you like
If I done everything the internet proposed I should do, I wouldn't have time for anything else.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[Omnipod]

I do ignore them but everytime i log in, I see 'My name is Doreen and I am a type 1.........'
Feels like im at AA and like I need to accept my diabetes in order to go into recovery mode....

 

[noblehead]

I do ignore them but everytime i log in, I see 'My name is Doreen and I am a type 1.........'
Feels like im at AA and like I need to accept my diabetes in order to go into recovery mode....

It just gets rid of the message that pops up if your never introduced yourself, this has only come about in the last few weeks....hence all the introductions. No one has to give their life story away and can just say "Hi" in their introduction.

Just don't read them if they annoy you, I'm sure we all have threads that we don't read as the subject doesn't interest us or we are unable to help/offer advice.

 

[JacHibbert]

I do ignore them but everytime i log in, I see 'My name is Doreen and I am a type 1.........'
Feels like im at AA and like I need to accept my diabetes in order to go into recovery mode....

Get over yourself You don't have to take part. The whole point of this is to bring people together, share ideas, questions. You do have to accept that you have diabetes - it doesn't define you, it's just a part of what you are. The size of that it up to you.

 

[poshtotty]

Get over yourself You don't have to take part. The whole point of this is to bring people together, share ideas, questions. You do have to accept that you have diabetes - it doesn't define you, it's just a part of what you are. The size of that it up to you.

A tad harsh @Jac Hibbert . I remember @Omnipod was a regular and supportive poster when I joined this forum in March. He's already given his reasons for disappearing, and in my opinion they are valid.

Some of us have busy lives and come on here for information for our conditions. I for one don't have time to read the Jokes thread for example, or any of the trivia. There are other sites for that, but I come here to look for specific answers to genuine concerns and to find or give support. If threads naturally become light-hearted or flippant, that's a different matter, but I agree with @Omnipod . This site is becoming watered down and losing relevance which is a great shame

 

[satindoll]

Strangely I find myself agreeing with @noblehead and @Jac Hibbert sometimes its easier to break the ice and helpful in accepting your diagnosis if its there in black and white, besides it gives a starting point to whatever you have to say, acceptance is half the battle learning to cope the other. just consider those who have no family or friends to turn to for comfort and support. we become their support system, and I would rather be aware of their age so I can tailor my reply without condescension, addressing a 12yr old is totally different to an older person.

 

[poshtotty]

Strangely I find myself agreeing with @noblehead and @Jac Hibbert sometimes its easier to break the ice and helpful in accepting your diagnosis if its there in black and white, besides it gives a starting point to whatever you have to say, acceptance is half the battle learning to cope the other. just consider those who have no family or friends to turn to for comfort and support. we become their support system, and I would rather be aware of their age so I can tailor my reply without condescension, addressing a 12yr old is totally different to an older person.

Fair point @satindoll but our personal details, including ages, are already there is black in white in each of our profiles. On the Homepage of this site it says its a community for information about diabetes.

Surely, the fact that we have gone through the process of joining as members indicates that we have accepted our condition, or that of someone we care about?

I cannot see the relevance of listing what music we like, or countries we've visited . As for asking if we are wealthy or not....How ridiculous is that question in a community of strangers?

 

[dawnmc]

I ignore it but Ive been here 2 and a half years and I'm sick of seeing it.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

I think it is the My_Facebook_Twitter mentality of some members here they seem to forget that it is a support forum and not a social media site.

Along with the "like" button to show your allegiance with a particular cause, or of course diet!

IMHO the forum has gone from a broadsheet to a comic in the last few years. It is now all about selling products to its membership base, hence the total lack of moderation nowadays, you cant chastise or ban people or you upset the sales figures.

 

[novorapidboi26]

I personally don't find it difficult to navigate to the useful diabetic topics when I need them..........

the forum is divided up into the relevant sections......

do others find it difficult........?

 

[anteater2012]

I'm with @Omnipod, @dianagrace and @dawnmc. This site is fast becoming a poor resource unless you to play word games, waste time responding to trolls and one hit wonders who post such spurious claims and posts. I have never come across a forum where I have had to put so many members on ignore. I also belong to a forum that often has over 5000 active users at any one time and I have not had to put any users on ignore there.

 

[satindoll]

Fair point @Sid Bonkers

Surely, the fact that we have gone through the process of joining as members indicates that we have accepted our condition, or that of someone we care about?

I cannot see the relevance of listing what music we like, or countries we've visited . As for asking if we are wealthy or not....How ridiculous is that question in a community of strangers?

I personally didn't fill in the greetings form cose I thought it too intrusive, but I'm sure it was meant as a bit of fun, and before you get on my case, sometimes a bit of fun can take out the sting of dx, I know when I was first diagnosed I would have appreciated someone brave enough to make a joke and lighten the moment instead of the death knoll bell being rung from all quarters, when I finally got a laugh was when the district nurse said "Look on the bright side, at least you will get free prescription's and eye tests" and sometimes we need help in other directions so the chat page can be a lifeline.

@Sid Bonkers I don't use Facebook or Twitter I don't understand it, but I am sure some people use it cose its their only means of communication with the outside world. You don't have to buy anything here but some of the prices are better than elsewhere.

@novorapidboi26 I too find it easy to navigate to look at what I want.

 

[forge]

All the worried and apprehensive people need some respite.

So a mix of social chit chat and a bit of fun with the serious stuff, does not sound so bad to me. In fact, it sounds like a good plan if it is of course, optional.

 

[novorapidboi26]

All the good forums I use are the same and have these off topic threads and the games too..........

I didn't even know you could "ignore" someone, why would you need to do this........

if things like this are annoying you are clearly spending too much time here........

 

[sanguine]

I just use the 'recent posts' option to browse the forum and pick the threads that interest me. I don't see the need to put people on 'ignore' status, you never know when they might post something of relevance. Most forums have an informal chat/games section, you can choose to read them or not - personally I see it as part of the mutual support role of the forum, even if it's not directly diabetes related.

As a relative newcomer I don't know what the forum was like before, but another forum I moderate on has gone exactly the same way as it has grown from a few hundred to 20000 odd members. It's a function of success I suppose.

I have noticed an increasing number of new T2 members lately - that must be a function of the growth in diagnoses and the media attention to the condition. The majority arrive a bit traumatised and confused, as most of us once did, and do need to be 'welcomed'. For them the introduction bit might be an easy way in if they are not familiar with internet forums. The problems have arisen due to some retrospective 'requirement' to do so placed on established members which I think was a mistake.

 

[Adelle0607]

I just use the 'recent posts' option to browse the forum and pick the threads that interest me. I don't see the need to put people on 'ignore' status, you never know when they might post something of relevance. Most forums have an informal chat/games section, you can choose to read them or not - personally I see it as part of the mutual support role of the forum, even if it's not directly diabetes related.

As a relative newcomer I don't know what the forum was like before, but another forum I moderate on has gone exactly the same way as it has grown from a few hundred to 20000 odd members. It's a function of success I suppose.

I have noticed an increasing number of new T2 members lately - that must be a function of the growth in diagnoses and the media attention to the condition. The majority arrive a bit traumatised and confused, as most of us once did, and do need to be 'welcomed'. For them the introduction bit might be an easy way in if they are not familiar with internet forums. The problems have arisen due to some retrospective 'requirement' to do so placed on established members which I think was a mistake.

I think with the advent of twitter instagram and facebook people are more out on the open. I share photos on my instagram and twitter and info and don't mind it/intros at all (I did mine the other week)...sometimes I participate on the games when I happen to browse because it's entertaining and can easily switch from there to a diabetic thread in 20 seconds..... But I do agree with sanguine the intro shouldn't be a
prerequisite...

 

[Adelle0607]

@satindoll facebook/twitter and instagram a lot of people communicate with it nowadays even for business it's good for promoting/creating leads and for personal: sharing photos of a party/social event not necessarily that this is their only form of communication w the outside world...

 

[satindoll]

@satindoll facebook/twitter and instagram a lot of people communicate with it nowadays even for business it's good for promoting/creating leads and for personal: sharing photos of a party/social event not necessarily that this is their only form of communication w the outside world...

Yes I know this but I was just pointing out that for some like my wonderful son-in-law who is going through a bad time at the moment, his depression meds having been changed due to cost, he can't even face going out the front door so for him facebook is his only link to friends and family and it keeps him safe.
BTW my son says this site is worse than facebook but with info included, think he's grumpy cose I forgot to put sugar on the shopping list te he

 

[Adelle0607]

Yes I know this but I was just pointing out that for some like my wonderful son-in-law who is going through a bad time at the moment, his depression meds having been changed due to cost, he can't even face going out the front door so for him facebook is his only link to friends and family and it keeps him safe.
BTW my son says this site is worse than facebook but with info included, think he's grumpy cose I forgot to put sugar on the shopping list te he

@satindoll, sorry to hear about your son in laws treatment... but good that he's using facebook to keep in touch with friends and it's cheaper too because of the messaging just like what's app--no need to spend for a text message...That's right @satindoll no sugar makes one grumpy lol xx (remembering my carb flu phase)