Mumsnet is terrible for my mental health

I don't have one now but I only got rid of it this year. But I only really got nuisance calls on it for some time.

My mum still has hers.

Someone said the books threads are gentle, and that's what you'd expect. However, in the days when Amazon allowed comments on reviews, things got very brutal. It's just the internet in general that's the problem.

I have spent a pleasant 10 minutes discussing Uniqlo bags and Matthew Rhys rather than go onto the missing boy or Meghan threads. That's how I stay sane.

To be honest, I think where there are people online, there is a cesspit. That's people for you! It seems to be the way of the online world now. Some folk just get their kicks that way, they always have but online people are bolder and nastier because.. they can.

Anyway, am rambling, apologies!

Sorry things are tough going at the moment and you sounds like you have your plate full, I hope you are finding the time for some 'you' time though. And yes, the world is changing so fast, so negatively, sometimes watching the news seems an endless stream of depression. Am keeping fingers crossed that things will get better.. it's got to, surely?!

Sending hugs and good wishes.

Ah, I am guilty of saying about personal experiences, but I do try and do it solidarity, rather than being a victim or in comparison, at least I hope so! Such as when someone puts up a thread about how lazy their OH's are, I would write how mine is too - but also agree that it's annoying.

Do people on MN really not like shared experiences?

For me, sometimes yes and sometimes no.

He’ll, yes. Absolutely. Totally. Damn it, I can’t look away.

I have had the occasional post or thread that has upset me or got in my head, @kidsnetflix - and what I generally do is to hide the thread, and go off to do something else. I find that I forget about the thread far faster than you’d imagine, and it is definitely good for my mental health.

We got rid of our landline when we realised no one had called us on it for a year. None of my friends have one now either, only mobiles.

I have no reason to use excel, and I haven't needed to save an actual CV to any job I've applied for in the last decade. 🤷🏻

I was only thinking yesterday how some people on MN like to pretend that they don't use "old" technology. Like landlines (what you still have a landline, I've not used one since the first car phones in 1986) or similar.

And now laptops. Computers are much easier to use than smartphones in my view.

I do think it's bad for blood pressure at times.

For example, the thread about the op wanting her DIL to look after her dog even though the DIL doesn't like dogs and has a small child. She posted and ran. Cue over 600 posts arguing about whether she's unreasonable or not and the situation probably doesn't exist! But everyone has got wound up by it (well the people who posted).

But I often ignore threads if I know they will annoy me like all the P&C space ones.

So if you were to write a CV or a letter, or use an Excel spreadsheet, how would you go about doing that?

I think people who use an actual computer for their internet browsing (while not at work) would be in a small minority.
I haven't used one for twenty years, only tablet and phones.

I came here to say this! 😂

I think the main problem is anonymity. It's the same on the roads. Nobody walks down the street yelling at a slow walker in front to get out the way otherwise 2 mins would be added to their journey time. Yet that's what happens when unreasonable people are given driving licences and can hide in their cars. Then (hopefully when not at the wheel) they criticise, insult and swear online.

That person didn't lack reading comprehension. It was a simple mistake. It happens from time to time. The unusual thing on this thread is that a slip up barely even meriting the name molehill has been magnified to become Ben Nevis.

You are SO right.

Yes, deliberately misinterpreting your words is THE biggest problem on MN, and very frustrating.

I have an android phone.

I used Chrome and the built in browser for regular browsing.

Then I have Firefox installed that I use to browse Mumsnet. I use the digital wellbeing settings in Android to put limits on that app, and social media apps.

When the limit is up the app automatically closes and greys out so it's inaccessible. Unless I go into settings and change the time limits.

So I can override it easily, but those few seconds it takes to override it are enough to give me pause and think about whether that is really necessary.

It has cut down my social media use a lot and I feel a lot less depressed about the state of the world.

How do you do this? Is it a whole different website browser? Or do you set a limit on the app? Great idea! Although I do have a limit for Instagram which I ignore when it pops up......locking the app would help me massively 😂

I have found it really helpful at times and agree that some of the more specific boards (Gardening/Christmas/Recipes etc) are a much nicer place to be.

I try and stay away from threads that I know will depress me so anything to do with other people's rubbish relationships or anything too political.

I find a lot of people's reading comprehension is dreadful which is perfectly exemplified at the start of this thread. I actually think robust debate is a good thing but there seems to have been an influx of posters that take disagreement as a personal insult and feel threatened by opposing views.

Then you get the posters that will shoehorn their own experiences into a discussion and seem to feel perpetually victimised. As an example I was on a thread discussing healthy packed lunches so I could get some ideas for packed lunches for my DDs and suddenly there was wave after wave of posters saying how out of touch we were and nonsense like "well my kid has ARFID and only eats chicken nuggets drowned in custard" or "I was sent to school with a can of Carling and a ten pack of Marlboro Lights every day and it never did me any harm."

I try not to engage with any posters that are being aggressive or are just plain dense and try to remember that I only need to listen to people's opinions that I actually value. If you are struggling with it then taking regular breaks from it sound sensible.

I actually find Mumsnet a lovely place to be compared to the Facebook comments section which is totally depressing to read.

The worst thing for me is the time thief it is. I regularly log out of my account then still read it, log back in and before I know it half an hour has gone past, I've wasted my lunch break on someone else's marital problems or someone moaning about Andy Burnham or something I can do nothing about when I could have gone for a walk or read my book. But that's all SM I suppose.

I’m not in Reddit but I’m on Twitter (I refuse to call it its new name. That’s one of my big issue with still being there)

My experience is that it very much depends on who you se following. From time to time, I have some crazy posts showing up. I just block or mute, which you can’t do on MN.
There are also people there that I’m very happy to read - some researchers, some real investigative journalists.
What I don’t get is the tearing apart you find on many posts. I would never as, furthermore advice on MN. I’ve tried a few times. People just purposefully misconstruct what you say and then go on the attack all in tge name of ‘straight talking’. It’s much closer to bullying that support in a lot of cases.

True. I’m not on X or Reddit, or FB for that matter. I prefer mn as one of the few non-male dominated platforms going. I also like the lack of algorithms and appreciate mnhq’s values (re women) and the moderation is fine.