[*Beth*]

I don't know if anyone here has seen this. I just did. I'm pretty sure we can expect plenty of ads...."In addition to serving consumers, the acquisition will provide another trusted brand for Healthline’s direct advertising partners to reach their customers, Hallock added."

Healthline Media Acquires PsychCentral, Bolstering Healthline’s Role as the Top Digital Health Publisher | Business Wire

[Nammu]

I don’t want ads or extortion that if you pay you can be ad free. I’ll be sad if that happens and will withdraw from PC

[*Beth*]

I just read the following. Now I am concerned.

This was posted by Doc John (in General Chat):

"Regardless of whatever happens with the Psych Central Forums, please know that there'll always be online mental health communities available, even if this one isn't here in the future. I don't know what the future holds, but I'll do my best to keep you informed as things happen... I will be here for at least a year, and even if my relationship with Healthline ends, I may well stick around. The community means as much to me as it does to you and I want to ensure it has a safe and fruitful future!"

Well, if Healthline continues the PC forum in some way, great. If not ("even if this one isn't here in the future"), I haven't found any other viable mental health forums online, none at all.

I'm also wondering when we'll see the changes that are going to take place. I have been on forums that, with no warning, completely switched the format, or closed, altogether. I sure hope that doesn't happen here.

I'm working on being hopeful (i.e., telling myself that I do not see the handwriting on the wall ) and on trusting that the universe recognizes the tremendous importance of a solid online mental health support forum.

[bpcyclist]

Should we begin planning now.? We cld build our own psychcentral. Much easier than when he started it

Maybe we should see what our respective posses think. Guage the temp maybe?

If they do destroy it, it would be way better to have a plan than not have a plan. It is worrisome that noone from HL has yet written a reassuring post. For sure
I would have, Day uno.

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by bpcyclist

Should we begin planning now.? We cld build our own psychcentral. Much easier than when he started it

Maybe we should see what our respective posses think. Guage the temp maybe?

If they do destroy it, it would be way better to have a plan than not have a plan.

I agree.

It is worrisome that noone from HL has yet written a reassuring post. For sure
I would have, Day uno.

Yep. Not a word from Healthline to us, and no idea of when they step in. I expect (hope) that Doc John will give us info when he feels the time is right...which I hope is soon. It would be extremely upsetting (to say the least) to come here and find that the entire site is different and the forums gone.

It's just...unfortunately, I've been through such a shock before and the best any of the members who were close to each other could do was go over to Facebook. We made a private group there. Fb was a fairly new entity back then, so it was easier to use, no ads. But losing our forum was tremendous (it was a parenting forum, very strong, like PC is). And I would feel even more of a loss, not having PC.

Time to put CBT skills to use? *I am safe and sound. All is well.*

Fingers crossedxx

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[bpcyclist]

Right. Would fb allow us privacy? I have never used it. All my sz pals and I are on snapchat together, well, the regulars, anyhoo. Almost all of us w our actual names and phn #s. Lotta trust there. Would we be able to recreate what we have on fb, do you imagine?

I am in the ground without you guys
Simple as that. I try hard to give and love here, but for me, losing you all would be truly life-threatening.

[*Beth*]

You're not alone, bpc. Frankly, I sure hope Healthline or somebody steps up, because I fear for how a shut-down of the PC forums would affect a lot of us.

A group can be entirely private on Fb, yeah. And Fb wants everyone to use our real names, but there are ways around that, too, not difficult to do.

It's something to keep in mind. Certainly not like these forums, but at least an online mental health support group.

[bpcyclist]

Originally Posted by BethRags

You're not alone, bpc. Frankly, I sure hope Healthline or somebody steps up, because I fear for how a shut-down of the PC forums would affect a lot of us.

A group can be entirely private on Fb, yeah. And Fb wants everyone to use our real names, but there are ways around that, too, not difficult to do.

It's something to keep in mind. Certainly not like these forums, but at least an online mental health support group.

K. Thanks.

You should create a Facebook closed group and then you can post freely there with each other.

[bpcyclist]

Okay, guys. I dug into it. We are totally fine. If they destroy PC, We can easily build ourselves a new site with rules created by the users IF we decide we would like another place and folks think that sounds like a good idea for people. Money will not be an issue and we could possibly eventually get a grant to pick up the bill. Until then, it is no problem. Like it or not, there are growing numbers of folks who do not want to do this kind of thing on fb.

No, I am not hypo or manic or psychotic. I am actually depressed, maybe a 4 outta 10. Just cannot lose this thing

[*Beth*]

Originally Posted by bpcyclist

Okay, guys. I dug into it. We are totally fine. If they destroy PC, We can easily build ourselves a new site with rules created by the users IF we decide we would like another place and folks think that sounds like a good idea for people. Money will not be an issue and we could possibly eventually get a grant to pick up the bill. Until then, it is no problem. Like it or not, there are growing numbers of folks who do not want to do this kind of thing on fb.

No, I am not hypo or manic or psychotic. I am actually depressed, maybe a 4 outta 10. Just cannot lose this thing

Thank you, bpc! I agree that Facebook is not a popular option, and would be a last resort for a better-than-nothing support group.

[DechanDawa]

Originally Posted by Skeezyks

I'm afraid I'm less positive about this development than most members seem to be. Healthline is, in turn, owned by some other company called: "Red Ventures", which is (it sounds to me from what little I've been able to find) what is typically referred to as a holding company. All these sorts of companies are interested in is profits.

I was on YouTube when Google bought it. Prior to that most of the members I knew had beautiful channel pages they had designed. First Google took those away & all members could decorate was the border around a large white space. Then they took that away & all you could have was a banner. The rest was simply white space again. Now, it appears, members can't even have a banner (which is okay with me, I prefer not to have one) unless you're a paying member of one sort or another. Oh, & yes you can get rid of all the ads, if you pay Google to take them away...which to me is sort-of like extortion. (Pay us or we'll fill your YouTube videos with ads.)

Anyway, I'm taking a wait-&-see attitude. But I have to say it makes me seriously uncomfortable to think about posting anything of a personal nature on a website that's owned & operated by some enigmatic corporate empire. But, then, I've never been on Facebook or Twitter or any of those sites either. So perhaps it's just me.

Thank you for this important information. I won't feel safe posting a lot of personal information on a site owned by a conglomerate. I do post on other sites like YouTube but only very superficially.

[DechanDawa]

I would not do FB but I would go to a spin-off site if it is properly moderated. Could be.fun.

[DechanDawa]

It seems that change is the nature of the internet. I have really appreciated the stability of Psych Central. I won't be loyal to a new corporate owned Psych Central if it doesn't meet my needs. Ads are a huge turn-off as is any kind of fee structure.

[bpcyclist]

Maybe we will all hafta be on Caplyta and Spravato...

[MoxieDoxie]

Originally Posted by bpcyclist

Should we begin planning now.? We cld build our own psychcentral. Much easier than when he started it

Maybe we should see what our respective posses think. Guage the temp maybe?

If they do destroy it, it would be way better to have a plan than not have a plan. It is worrisome that noone from HL has yet written a reassuring post. For sure
I would have, Day uno.

I honestly think their is a lot of unused talent on here and we can design and build our own site like this that is designed by those that have been struggling with exactly what we post on here. Now we need:

Project management
Web designer
And I have no clue how to do this.

[seesaw]

My biggest concern with other communities I have joined for a while, both on Facebook and elsewhere, is that they are moderated by individuals who have no experience facilitating and are put into positions of moderation because they started said group, and basically it turns into the worst parts of high school. What I like the most about PC is that the overarching community guidelines have been created by a professional and said professional, DocJohn, oversees the administration of the community guidelines, albeit, yes, by community volunteers, but there is a review structure in place. Every other place I've been, to me, is actually quite unhealthy because it's not overseen by a professional who can gauge the community dynamic or they put in place moderators with no training or who are not stable, simply because they have a lot of time on their hands. Online "support" communities can become toxic really fast when they are basically run without expertise.

Even NAMI facilitators for their peer groups, who are peers, go through substantial training to lead the peer support sessions.

To me, the reason these forums are so successful is because of how they have been created and moderated. Peer support groups I've seen created and run by peers with no professional involved have always turned into super toxic environments.

[~Christina]

I understand the concern , everyone has there own worries and possible negative reactions of how this all could change

For me ? I'm not going to get my panties into a twist until Healthline comes in and we see what changes might happen, DocJohn assured us he will stick around at least for a year.

Ad's ??? I can scroll right past any ad's on Facebook that do not interest me and on the TV I fast forward or use the mute button. So no one will make me read any of it.

As for a pay site?? Honestly over the years there has been lots of conversations about PC charging a small fee.. Hell I am legit always broke but I'd scrape together a small fee monthly or yearly.. Sometimes I get annoyed that we are like an ant farm and people can come by as visitors and literally see into our lives, Or the college student needing to better understand mental health on a paper that's due next week .... But I am the one that shares so I cant blame anyone but myself LOL

So I am going to be positive about this and see what happens.. maybe something wonderful will be added on top of the amazing site DocJohn built.

Cheers

[DechanDawa]

I can't be as positive when it is a conglomerate taking over. I have ad blocker and don't go on any sites with ads. I stay off FB. No, I would not come on a Psych Central with ads...especially ads for drugs. Nah.


There are also problems with paying. Sometimes it makes people feel entitled. This happened on another site I was on. People were not very cordial and they were always on the lookout to see if they got their money's worth.

No, I would not go on a paying mental health site.

I never minded the visitors on this site. Everything is anonymous. And if someone can come on and got some information...heck, even to do a paper...so what? To me that seems like a good thing.

[WastingAsparagus]

Ufff. PC is so cool. I would hate to see it be ruined in any way.

There's literally no other place on the internet where I feel comfortable sharing my emotions and how I'm feeling, how I'm doing in general, and anything else I feel like sharing.

I would very much hate to see it be changed materially.

Just my opinion...