QUESTION RE JOURNALS

[Kizzie]

Sure BB - Anyone can read all the posts on the site without becoming a member. The idea was so that survivors who may not want to join, the public and professionals can read about Complex Trauma.  It's a way of letting people learn about CPTSD.  No-one can read the private section journals though, except those I have given permission to. 

I do think it's a good option for those who do have FOO or other perpetrators they are frightened of having finding them. The problem with the public journals is even if you are spare in details they can accumulate enough over time for a determined enough person to find you.  And even if they don't, the fear of that happening adds an unnecessary layer of trauma on survivors in that position.  I don't think too many will use the private section, but it's there if some need/want it. 

[Kizzie]

I should add that I started the Zoom groups because I and I knew a few others were ready to try learning about relationships in a more present way; that is, to see and speak to each other. I was happy being anonymous for a long time here, but it seemed like it was time to take a step forward and see how it went.

I only had enough for one group who were interested and now enough for a second group. It's a BIG step for so many of us, something it had taken me years to do so I expect it will not be a feature that grows in a big way although I may be surprised I don't know. 

[Bermuda]

I guess I was really anxious about the journal being public in the beginning and I have tried to be very cautious when alluding to places and times because of that, but actually I think having it public feels mostly good. I do have moments of panic, and I have thought about deleting it too but I'm glad I didn't. Those thoughts are fleeting. I haven't read all the replies as I am always short on time, but I think my opinion is I am fine with either public or private. Being able to choose would be great too. I get worried about being found, and when my alarm bells go, they all go off. It doesn't mean the threat is imminent, it just means I have cPTSD, but hiding can be therapeutic too.

[Kizzie]

I like what you said about hiding being therapeutic Bermuda, it isn't something most of us could do if we were abused as children (except hiding within ourselves), but as adults we have the power to make choices like this. 

[Kizzie]

I just want to add I love that so many of you have spoken about your thoughts and feelings on this.      

[Bach]

this whole thing is kinda freaking me out 

[Blueberry]

I hear you Bach. Is there anything somebody on here can say or do (explain? validate?) that would help?

[Kizzie]

Here too Bach, you can always PM or email me. 

[NarcKiddo]

I'm also here, Bach. I think it perhaps feels like a bigger change than it actually is. I had quite a strong reaction initially.

[Bach]

Thank you for acknowledging me, Blueberry, Kizzie and NarcKiddo.  I suppose this is triggering my issues around not belonging/being left out, especially because I read here more than I write.

[NarcKiddo]

Thank you for acknowledging me, Blueberry, Kizzie and NarcKiddo.  I suppose this is triggering my issues around not belonging/being left out, especially because I read here more than I write.

The way I understand it, you would not have to move your journals to the private group in order to be a member of that group and thus be able to read and comment on those journals.

I am not personally inclined to move my journals to a private group. This is partly because I have had helpful comments from people with whom I might not interact on a regular basis on this forum. Those people might not be minded to join a private group and so by putting my journals there I might be depriving myself of feeling some of the support that abounds here, just because people have not chosen to join the private group and thus cannot read the private group journals.

Assuming you can be a member of the private group even if you do not have your journals there, I would probably join the group, especially if some of the people whose journals I do follow chose to move their journals there.

[Kizzie]

I can do that NK. That is, add members to the private group who are only going to comment on the journals there, but leave their own journals in the public section.

That said, it may be that some members may want journals in two places, the private group for when they need/want to share more detail they can't in the public group. I'm not adverse to that.

Maybe members could comment on this? 

[Bermuda]

I have nearly no experience on forums other than this one and feel a bit lost in the conversation, but as far as I think I understand that sounds like a happy balance.

[Blueberry]

That is, add members to the private group who are only going to comment on the journals there, but leave their own journals in the public section.

I'd like to be able to read and comment on the journals of mbrs in the private group even though I'm pretty sure I'm leaving my journals in the public section.

Possibly we'd then need a rule on the forum about not posting personal information about other mbrs anywhere on the forum? They have that rule on OOTF. So eg if somebody asks on some thread if there are other mbrs here from France, you can write that you are from there, but you can't write that you know mbr xyz is from there because that's their information to give. I made that mistake on OOTF once   and it was because of that happening here sometimes.

[Kizzie]

That's a good reminder BB, especially given it is a private section so not sharing anything elsewhere on the forum is especially important. 

I added you to the group.  Just let me know if you want to be taken off.