I will write a little about psychology, but not diabetes.
The psychology of an online forum.
The importance of effective moderation cannot be underestimated.
Failure will usually lead to the domination of three personality types, the self appointed guru, the sheep and the sniper.
The guru inevitably comes from a problematic childhood and needs continual dopamine kicks to satisfy their emotional needs. Whilst supposedly helping others they are simply using them for their own benefit. Any threat to that dopamine supply is quickly dealt with by personal attack in an attempt to remove it. I am, no doubt, not the first to be dealt with as such. And those others may well have made worthwhile contributions to diabetics but they are lost. The gurus egotistical quackery remains the soul of the forum and the snipers and sheep continue to provide excellent dopamine kicks to satisfy their needs. The site becomes all about the gurus and diabetes is secondary, they cause more harm than they do good.
I do not wish to encourage their addiction and therefore I leave this site with the hope that good moderation will allow this site to be truly useful.
