what on earht are you all doing wih tis suiceide stuff

sorry my post is rather disjointed - hope it still makes sense.

Were you here for all that Gina Ford business, dittany?

Because if you were you would be the last person to say I was scaremongering.

In fact, I think you're being really naive and a bit short-sighted if you don't think that there is no legal ramifications to things like this coming up on the WWW.

Again, it will be interesting when MNHQ is able to respond.

""I would contact the local health team and that person would be seen that day"."

I wasn't - I saw my GP was prescribed fluoxetine and told "see you in 4 weeks" . A&E nigh on impossible for me to get to, and I would probably still never ring the Samaritans if in that place again as I avoid making phone calls as much as possible, except for inane chatting with friends.

Infact I only went to the GP in the end as one of my RL friends called round one day when I was so intoxicated I could hardly look after my children . Before that point, where I had felt totally unable tell my friends what was happening - MN had been the only place for me to let any of it out. My friend made the appointment for me, and took me there, I would probably have never managed to go on my own - as it was she told the GP what was happening, I only managed to answer "yes" or "no" to the GP's questions.

Thankfully MN was here for me (as I had no-one else to turn to) when I was at my lowest and helped me through until I was strong enough to tell my RL friends what was really happening and get the professional help I need. Sadly even with MN and RL friends I still ended up in hospital after taking an OD.

If my threads when I was at my lowest had been deleted as it was deemed that I "needed to get professional help/call Samaritans etc etc" I don't like to think what I may well have done

objectivity, if you are still following this thread
could you tell us what you would have done
if your thread had been deleted immediately after you started it?

Would you have taken the hint and gone to the Samaritans?

You are absolutely right expat.

ever notice how all the lawyers never post on threads like this?

yeah, well, there's a reason for that.

and it's not an invalid argument, dittany, until a magistrate rules it as such.

it's perfectly possible for loved ones or family to put together a case that can and does have enough merit to be brought forth in a court AND/OR cause heaps of legal problems for MN's team before doing so.

we've already seen this happen in the past with a situation which some deemed just giving opinions and others saw as defamation of character.

dittany, while I agree that the 'system' is often woefully inadequate and unsupportive for chronic health (inc mental health) problems, and that mn is a fantastic resource and support for those living with or caring for these condition.

I do think that in an acute life threatening emergency that those whose job it is to help people who are seriously physically or mentally unwell are better equipped to help than MN. I really do.

dittany, sites have been sued in court by family and loved ones for being irresponsible. they really have. it's already happened with proana sites.

so there are a number of different laws which may apply in a case of someone who does indeed harm herself or end her life.

it sounds ridiculous, but it can and does happen and will likely continue to do so as litigation increases.

and even if such litigation is dismissed, the press, damage and cost is not neglible.

again it is impossible to know the state of the OP and whether or not the individual in question has used or misused a substance, and so advice can be construed in a number of different ways.

Dittany - on previous occasions posters have posted that they have taken an overdose. So medical assessment of some sort would often be urgently needed with this type of thread. Yes, the mental health system is flawed, and yes it is not pleasant to turn up at A & E saying you feel suicidally depressed (which I have done). But a duty psychiatrist can at least assess whether someone having suicidal thoughts can be discharged or not, to then be buoyed by the caring support MN can offer (in conjunction with whatever treatments/medication/support by CMHT are appropriate).

I'm sure it's being discussed at MNHQ.

Someone else also pointed out how onus is put on MNHQ to track down such posters.

Many of these posts, however, occur late at night, and we all know this is a largely unmoderated forum and that many of the staff at HQ are mothers of young children themselves.

expat you do talk a lot of sense. As you say this is a grey area..... good to talk about it though.

it's a grey area, dittany. particularly if the person harms herself or does indeed take her life.

and, as such, the law is open to interpretation when it comes to websites, same as suicide sites, proana sites and sites involving certain fetishes.

so it really is something that needs to be addressed.

My worry with these threads is a) the guilt if something did go wrong

b) trolls.

As a group, MN is very good at digging deep to support those in need. I worry about that attracting people.

I also think back to last year with one particular poster who had a hell of a lot of emotional support (to the point of it harming the people giving it iyswim), who then went on to "suicide" - the grief it caused the people who felt they were her friend and had failed her, whilst battling their own issues, was terrible. Then it became more apparent that it was sh*t.

I don't know what the answer is. For myself, MN has supported me when I have been low. But when I have been that low, I haven't said a word.

This site, I mean.

There is nothing wrong with saying, 'Legally, these threads might not be a good idea'.

Especially as some of us remember that this thread was very nearly shut down by legal action.

Agree totally with your last sentance Nagapie.
I have posted on the 'feeling depressed' boards, but never would I have put someone in a position where they felt like I was depending on them saying something to talk me around.

And before someone says 'yes but have you ever been suicidal', yes I have and I acted on it, on my own, without telling a soul until I got scared half way through a box of tablets and told my dad.