Internet Insanity

[SuperMaids]

Reading through the "mental health problems" thread has brought me to a great discovery about the internet; everyone who uses it reguarly, or at least a large number of us, are clinicly insane. If you're not looking, you might miss it, but almost every site I go on, has a (popular) thread about what diagnosis/ meds it's users have, from Deviant Art to Game FAQ's to the Flying Spaghetti Monster page. The most common disorder appear to be OCD and Bi-polar disorder. It's a fact; don't deny it.

The big questions, I hope YOU could help me answer (or find a reserch document that answers) is weather you have to be insane to use the internet or if the internet makes you insane; that is, is there something attractive about the internet to diagnosed mental patients, or does the atmposphere online turn people insane.

While many would probably say, and some reserchers have said, the anonymity and lack of clear physical identity as well as 'idea anarchy' (the ability to be yourself fully with no fear) promotes insanity in real life, as nehaviour online is carried out in the restrained real world; it's the other position that holds my vote however, as the anonymity prevents any discrimination and certain internet behaviours (osessive posting, etc.) are promoted by some disorders. As with the old Cannabis/ Schizophrenia thing, finding out what way the graph should be tipped is a difficult, politically motivated task, but it's an important question and it is solvable.

[gtaca2005]

Everyone already has problems, they just share them on the Internet because they feel like no one will know, but at the same time, they get it off their chests. (Excluding GaySpac... I mean MySpace.com)

[triplemultiplex]

I would first qualify your definition of "regular internet users" to mean people who regularly post on online forums, since that seems to be the data set you've based this observation on.

Secondly, these mental health-related threads are logically going to be frequented by the forum's members who have had some experience in the field. A person like myself who has never been on medication or been diagnosed with some kind of disorder doesn't really have anything to contribute. The thread on this forum, while popular, has only had a small percentage of the posters involved.

Third, the anonymity factor you mentioned allows people to share their experiences with others who are going through similar stuff. They can open up more than they could if they were talking with friends in the real world.

[gtaca2005]

Third, the anonymity factor you mentioned allows people to share their experiences with others who are going through similar stuff. They can open up more than they could if they were talking with friends in the real world.

That is my thought exactly. You will confess so much more if you knew it wasn't going to back-fire in the real world some how.

[SuperMaids]

It's amazing how people read this post on the BBS, but on other sites (deviant ass) just spout about how smart they are and how you must know NOTHING to post a question like this. Arty assh*les begone from the BBS! That "off my chest"... you made a scarily true point GTA, people really do get such sh*t for revealing their problems in real life.

I would first qualify your definition of "regular internet users" to mean people who regularly post on online forums, since that seems to be the data set you've based this observation on.

Sorry about that, it's just that people who post LOADS on forums seem, from my personal expierience, to always have mental 'issues' or diagnosis. Havn't looked for data and, as it wouldn't be profitable to collect, doubt it exists. It's justr interesting.

Secondly, these mental health-related threads are logically going to be frequented by the forum's members who have had some experience in the field. A person like myself who has never been on medication or been diagnosed with some kind of disorder doesn't really have anything to contribute. The thread on this forum, while popular, has only had a small percentage of the posters involved.

The fact that threads like that appear so reguarly on almost every forum, at all, is wierd. How many groups exist, for mental health problems, among your friends in real life, that you know of? Next, the posters who post ALL THE TIME, the total post whores if you will seem to have all posted in there. When I say "all regular" i mean "most obsessive".

Third, the anonymity factor you mentioned allows people to share their experiences with others who are going through similar stuff. They can open up more than they could if they were talking with friends in the real world.

I made the argument from anonymity up myself (actually read about the others in a newspaper a while back!) so i agree myself. Even I say stuff, like this, to guys on forums that i'd neer say in "real life."

[Big-Will]

It's amazing how people read this post on the BBS, but on other sites (deviant ass) just spout about how smart they are and how you must know NOTHING to post a question like this.

On most boards, there are consequences for people who don't read threads before they reply to them. On DA, the moderation is much looser, but bans do occur from time to time. We strive for actual discussion here.

[gtaca2005]

It's amazing how people read this post on the BBS, but on other sites (deviant ass) just spout about how smart they are and how you must know NOTHING to post a question like this.

On most boards, there are consequences for people who don't read threads before they reply to them. On DA, the moderation is much looser, but bans do occur from time to time. We strive for actual discussion here.

I seen a few people on other boards get banned for NOTHING at all, though. Like, they went off topic for one post (Like this one. ). But I like it here, because it isn't as strict, so you can make a tiny mistake here and there, like posting in the wrong thread, thinking it was another. What really makes me mad is the super geek moderators in tech forums that will ban you for asking a simple question, that is answered in the rules thread. They don't have to be a super dick head. It could be a legitimate question, just to clarify the rules, and they will ban you.

[M00ndragon69]

I think triplemutliplex is right about the anonymity factor when it comes to what they share on the internet and how they act. Some people might feel the need to talk about mental issues but don't feel like they can with people they know offline. There is less fear of rejection if you are telling people you have no emotional connection to ( and don't even have know what those people look like) personal secrets. Less fear of damaging your reputation. The same is true when people do f*cked up things online that make them look bipolar or like they have some kind of mental disorder. Usually, or at least in my case when I went out of my way to piss off someone I knew from the internet, I wouldn't do things like that offline ( unless it was an extreme situation) because it would damage my reputation. Because I can choose who gets to know me online and who doesn't, I am not worried if someone who doesn't even know my real name or what I look like thinks I am a f*cked up bitch. But that is one attraction of the internet, you can get away with some stuff you never could offline.

[teh-lolrus]

I agree with you guys about how people can share their opinions online without the fear of being found out like in real life (unless it's MySpace...but that's a different story). It works out pretty well; it also gives people a way to vent and let out their true feelings if there's no other way to do it without getting in serious trouble.

I come online to vent because it seems that people online at least gives half a f*ck about what I say. The illusion of caring helps just a little bit; it's better to feel like someone cares rather than go through crap genuinely alone. The only real-life socialization I ever get is with my boyfriend (sure, I have other friends, but they're always busy with work or something else), and I'll honestly snap if I don't find a way to let it all out. Art and music aren't helping much anymore; I've gotten in trouble for my f*cked up work and music these days...

Point being, it helps just a bit sometimes to let all your feelings out somewhere where you probably won't have people on your ass for saying something.

[superiorsavior]

The only real-life socialization I ever get is with my boyfriend

You're lucky; i don't even have a girl/boyfriend to vent on. I just have a mirror, which i'll rant at non stop if i don't have the net!

As for the illusion of caring, this site really is good for that. People don't (usuually) point and laugh at you're "emo dikinezz\lulz" like on so many other sites (deviant art perhaps?) but i'm sure there's some other great threads to vent on.

[teh-lolrus]

The only real-life socialization I ever get is with my boyfriend

You're lucky; i don't even have a girl/boyfriend to vent on. I just have a mirror, which i'll rant at non stop if i don't have the net!

As for the illusion of caring, this site really is good for that. People don't (usuually) point and laugh at you're "emo dikinezz\lulz" like on so many other sites (deviant art perhaps?) but i'm sure there's some other great threads to vent on.

True. Now I'm wondering whether I should rant everything that's gone on since I was gone now or when I get back from college class tonight. At least people skim that thread, if nothing else.

><

[gtaca2005]

Internet insanity causes people like Chris Crocker to emerge.

[superiorsavior]

Chris crocker does not make me a happy saviour. He's the biggest argument for forced institutionalisation

Chris Crocker Must DIEEEEEEEEE! For tricking me into thinking it was a woman (i have as bad eyes as Dawkins, yeeessss sadly).

[BRMBug]

Internet insanity causes people like Chris Crocker to emerge.

[gtaca2005]

^ Like it?

I made it.