Do we need these :(

[Ashley]

These days pretty much every thread title seems to have a sad face in it, and I am forever removing them.   Can we just assume that OCD leaves us all feeling sad and every thread denotes a feeling of being sad and dispense with the pointless sad faces in thread titles? 

[Ashley]

You can if you want,  but I logged on one day and the top few posts all had sad faces, which just looks a bit silly because we all know by definition OCD makes us sad.

 

[kittypurry]

Personally I don't see the problem in using sad faces. It's just another emoji of how one might be feeling. I wasn't aware it was such a problem. 

[taurean]

Maybe Ashley is just a little obsessed about it  

 I am with kitty on this, People are just expressing how they feel. We encourage them to open up as to what is going on with them, and this just seems a little like we are punishing them for feeling that way and wishing to express it.  - hardly the intention of this place at all .

Part of my CBT therapy is, when I am really struggling, to write down what is bugging me so much; Its cathartic - difficult to do it, but boy does it help put it in perspective ,and  carry out exposure to it. I don't keep the records, I use this very sparingly as a tool, and  they are shredded

People join the forum usually when they are in a pretty poor state. I think we should let them express themselves just how they feel, as we then encourage them to take the alternate path towards feeling better.   

To be honest, take a look at the pseudonyms people choose. There is an awful lot of sadness in them - it saddens  me, but it does express how they feel.

Edited January 13, 2017 by taurean
typo

[kittypurry]

56 minutes ago, taurean said:

 

People join the forum usually when they are in a pretty poor state. I think we should let them express themselves just how they feel, as we then encourage them to take the alternate path towards feeling better.   

 

[Caramoole]

I'd never thought of this....it hadn't crossed my mind but having had time to think about it I guess I agree with Ashley.  In thread titles, it's messy, it's predictable and the poster has ample opportunity to use lots of proper Emoticons within the thread itself.  It is similar (in a way) to the use of "Trigger" warnings included in thread titles (which we don't allow)

On 13/01/2017 at 13:33, taurean said:

To be honest, take a look at the pseudonyms people choose. There is an awful lot of sadness in them - it saddens  me, but it does express how they feel

I must admit, it saddens me too and although it expresses how the person feels I feel it doesn't help the sufferer to wear that badge, it's a constant reminder of pain and failure.  There have been members in the past who I have encouraged to pick a name that isn't so negative.  Phili was one......can't remember her original choice but we arrived at Phili because she loves Philadelphia cheese   Much better.

My vote's with Ashley

[taurean]

That's well expressed Caramoole, makes sense so I think I will throw my hat into Ashley's ring now. 

 

[snowbear]

I adore emoticons. 

I possibly use them more than anybody else on the forum, maybe even too many of them...  

Something about those cute facial expressions always cheers me up - even the sad face is kinda cute when used as a sympathy vote  

But even I, (even I )  think they are better left out of the titles.  

Caramoole's analogy to it being akin to putting 'trigger' in titles is a good one. It comes across to me as a sign the person perceives a risk of making others sad and is trying to avoid the self-appointed responsibility of looking after how everybody else feels.

We don't need those kind of false 'warnings' because that kind of feared risk exists only in the thoughts of the person posting. People need to learn thoughts are just thoughts without the power to make bad things happen and in the same way they need to learn their own feelings aren't transferred to others because of a sense of hyper-responsibility.