Hi All,
I’m very glad this new website is helping a lot of people. For me, it’s a big loss in how I used to cope with my issues. I’m still struggling from losing the support I had in Support Groups. I keep coming back to try again… but it’s truly impossible for me to find support here.
Can anyone recommend other websites meant to support people that I could look into? I would appreciate it.
Thank you.
6 Hearts
im finished, that’s all best luck to you 
2 Hearts
Im sorry. I think probably depending on what kind of support you’re looking for, you will probably find similar forums. Especially for depression I bet there are many.
2 Hearts
Thank you, but it’s not for depression.
I know I can Google as much as I want, but I prefer personal recommendations over an algorithm. That’s why I’m asking here first. Maybe no one has a recommendation, but I thought it was worth asking.
There is a youtube channel I follow, which is for trauma support and run by Patrick Teahan LSW. His comment section has been incredibly helpful and supportive, and helpful to read and relate to others experiencing similar stuff about childhood trauma.
Since you havent mentioned what kind kf support group you’re looking for it’s hard to give suggestions.
3 Hearts
Thank you for the recommendation and telling me about the comments. I think it will be helpful. Thank you for commenting here.
You’re right, I didn’t make it easy. I’m sorry about that.
I didn’t choose a specific Post because I was in several groups, including ones that don’t fall under Mental Health. However, I really don’t feel comfortable posting on this new website, so I just picked one broad Group, Mental Health, because that’s the Group the majority of my groups were in.
That’s part of the beauty of Support Groups. It has all the support you need in one place. It just doesn’t work for me anymore. Maybe it’s because I used the old website and thought it was wonderful for too many years.
But I understand, change happens. I just really miss it. It’s been rough not having Support Groups. I mean it. Life is harder without having the support… in a significant way. It’s a really special place.
So I really am glad it’s helping other people. It’s just rough that it doesn’t work for me anymore.
1 Heart
You have to be kidding me… this new website is still automatically changing words??? You cannot be serious. Unbelievable. I still can’t even trust that what I type will show up correctly when I post.
It is such a basic and fundamental function, being able to type a word and have it show up in the post. And all this time has passed since I came here… and they are still automatically changing words??
I did not write “Post”. I wrote T.O.P.I.C
This is a perfect example of why there is no support for me here. Literally. None. I tried. And life is harder now.
So, more recommendations are welcomed… of course. I really miss having the support.
1 Heart
I’m having problems too but haven’t found another place so I just-relentlessly-keep hoping. Kinda like my failed relationships!!
1 Heart
I felt your frustration, so much. I havent made a post on this site for a while now, because of the exact reasons you mentioned. I can only post on mental health, the changed words, and in a moment of absolute CRISIS I would post here, and receive an outlet and support. I cant do that anymore and although Ive adjusted to just not having that support anymore, I feel your frustration so much. It is a basic function, and it’s insane how stupid this site has become. Basically if you cant retain old members, how can you “grow” your horrific website? It’s basic accessibility. They made it flashy while losing tje basic functions.
1 Heart
Doodle1234, thank you so much for saying that. I certainly didn’t get any empathy about not being able to find support anymore. People were mostly like, ok bye! Close the door on your way out!.. of a long-term support group. All the old-timers were saying how it didn’t work for us, and no one cared.
So really, thank you for the empathy, and sharing about your experience too. I appreciate it.
I’m still in touch with some others who quit the site. The most recent contact I had about it, the person replied “SG is worthless”. I mean, it’s a lot of us who left, but really no one cared.
Newer people on the site were like - the new website is ‘fun’ and like you said flashy… meanwhile now it has no function… but people were saying that I’m the problem because I can’t adapt to change. I think I relied on SG for about 8 years. That’s a lot of support. It was part of my life.
I absolutely can adapt to change. Support Groups was destroyed. Period.
In the beginning I told them every reason why the old site worked for support, why it functioned better, the reasons why it was so easy to get support. After all this time and they did nothing. It proves they don’t care.
I have to wonder, did they do this for money? Did someone find a way to make money off our sacred SG? It was already helping so many people. It worked very well. Why not just a few simple upgrades, why destroy the whole thing? Why would anyone do that if it wasn’t for making more money? I still can’t wrap my mind around the destruction of something so beautiful…
Ok. I’m going to try to flag this for ‘new SG’. I left for a long time. I didn’t complain much, I left quietly. Now I want them to know what they did to the rest of us after their complete and total take-over and domination.
And now I do have a new reason why this space is totally different and not safe.
Why on Earth is SG suddenly run by this ‘Team’? It’s like they are obsessed. Constant random posts… like they think we came to SG for Professional help??? That is absolutely NOT what SG was about.
If you “Team” wanted that kind of website for Professional help, you should have started from scratch instead of literally stealing ours. Original SG was run by members.
Honestly, what the “Team” did is really cruel by stealing our website, leaving so many of us with no support at all.
And I just realized, they did create an entirely new, 100% different website. Why steal ours? Why not just buy a different web address? Domain names aren’t expensive. It’s so basic. Why did the “Team” steal our web address? It truly was a cruel and heartless thing to do. They literally stole the web address from the members, and replaced it with something totally different, whether they paid for it or not. They stole from the members. We had something beautiful.
That’s the truth to the Team. What you did is cruel. What you stole was invaluable support for it’s members. You did not have to take that from us.
Really good point Doodle1234, how can you “grow” your horrific website, when it’s so horrible everyone using it in the past gave up? Your foundation was ok, the old-timers are gone, let’s see how we do with the new ones…
So, Doodle1234, thank you for the empathy and for sharing that. This is honestly the first comment showing someone cares that I’ve lost this support since the new website. My life is harder now, but oh well. Sadly, many other comments I’ve received to my posts about this in the past were basically “I’m leaving too” with a sad face. (When people weren’t busy blaming me)
I know this is a really long post, but don’t worry. I don’t expect to ever post again, except I will definitely keep following this post and replying here. You all have been great. Thank you.
Doodle1234… sorry that got really long. If you didn’t read to the bottom that’s ok. Thank you for the empathy and your comments here.
1 Heart
I think I have some room for “adjustment”, because Ive tried coding and it’s really not easy. I think a large part of the issues we are having have to do with coding, because the old site was over 8 years old… and that means a large portion of the code had to be completely redone so I can understand that part.
BUT I completely understand how you’re so frustrated, because some of the changes are just not related to coding, but actual issues related to the culture they’re trying to “create”, without necessarily consulting with the users and so it’s unprofessional at best. I ranted a LOT about it, and since we cannot delete our own posts, I simply edited it to remove everything. What they dont understand, is that the users using the site is part of the reason any “support” exists in the word support group. Peer support models have beeb found to he highly effective in research, but the idea of consent comes in too.
Simply put, it’s EXACTLY as you said, they ripped the support right out of people’s experience of life, which goes beyond this website. There was no warning, about what changes were about to be made or asked for any input from users about how we would feel about moderators with usernames being replaced by the “SG TEAM” entity, almost big brother 1984 type approach. Not to be dramatic, but wow, they lack knowledge about making trauma informed decisions. Lumping everything into the category of “Mental Health”, is like an insane decision, because I genuinely miss the NPD support group, where it was a bunch of empaths supporting eachother which we basically never experience. Just so many things. And I know someone from the SG Teams is likely creepily watching everything I write. It’s making me a bit paranoid because Ive posted a lot if personal stuff on this site, like my most inner kept experiences, meant to be shared with strangers who will never meet me. Thats the point. To get support unconditionally. It just feels so unfamilar and Im pretty sad about it. But yea if I have to leave I will gradually, instead of ripping the band aid off. Ive mostly stopped making posts. Just supporting people with comments at this point. Which is sad because thats my trauma response anyways, to be invisible and only offer support. So idk. Ill still be around, but less. People are welcome to directly message if they want to, I will always reply if I see the message.
Anyhoo, I got off track (he he cptsd…) but I also am wondering if they’re trying to hire people to be “moderators” or how that even works, because that comes with its own ethical issues. Are these all volunteers running the thing? Because if so i guess Id be more understanding, but even so there are ethics involved. I ranted way too much and said some rude things as well, Im trying not to but trust me the frustration is understandable. It isn’t an overreaction on your part (that would indeed be invalidating, borderline gaslighting if someone suggested that you are “crazy” for feeling the way you described. It’s always hard to accept feedback and criticism so thats likely what we’re seeing. Im sure the SG Team sees the users are entitled and overreacting. Common in situations like these.
And you are absolutely wonderful too, you’ll be missed. It has seemed less busy around here. But hopefully some people are still floating around, you are always welcome to reach out. There is always a learning curve wirh these things, so I can only hope that theyll try to take the feedback for non negtiable things, like basic ease of making a post… not changing words that Im guessing the person writing the code used but forgot to change … small fixes, and they may be corrected. Maybe we can make a list, of things we would propose they fix. I think this site can and does help a lot of people, but I mean the creators have to actually be willing to listen. Which is always the issue in any organization or endeavor. Success is determined by how willing you are to bend to the NEEDS of your user, followers, or front line workers.
1 Heart
I actually joined this forum as well as 7 Cups of Tea when I was at a point where I needed something. Never kept looking after honestly, so this and 7 Cups are the only ones I know that handle this kind of thing.
2 Hearts
I don’t know of any, I’m new here, but i did try to explore a lot of them & i didn’t find any…
I’m here talk to you tho, if u need me… have a good day.
Hi, @afunk1, if you’re still around, maybe try joining psychforums.com. It’s not a really well-known site, but there’s tons of threads aimed for people who have diseases, personalities disorders, etc. You might have to expect having replies from mods since not many people read new posts.