to wish that people wouldn't put serious mental health/relationship questions in the aibu topic?

[Mintyy]

I suppose I am.

No, you're not. I'm totally with you there. It annoys the patootie out of me.

surely it's up to them?

It is up to them, of course, but I wish they wouldn't.

I think people worry that they won't get a quick answer unless they try AIBU. And when you are in a state you need instant help. Why do you think people shouldn't?

Give me an example?

I put something up about pnd in April in the correct place and got one reply - if people need help and a quick response then they'll put it here. You don't have to respond if you don't like the thread!

But 'serious' is a subjective thing. Often there are posts on here from people who seem oblivioud to what a dangerous situation they're in, and people usually respond thoughtfully regaradless of the OP being in AIBU...

"I think people worry that they won't get a quick answer unless they try AIBU".

I agree with you there peachy and that is precisely why I think aibu is overall a bad thing. It has taken over like a tumour.

What? Because you can't test your devastatingly witty banter on someone who might be vulnerable? !

As the banter brigade keep suggesting, this is an open forum, where people can say what the fuck they like.

YABU

I take AIBU with a pinch of salt, it's easy to get too involved

I'd hope that people don't post in AIBU and decide to leave husbands, jobs etc based on the answers.

I imagine Mintty is rather more concerned about other people making devastating comments to a troubled OP, as after all, it's AIBU, so everyone knows it's not a place for the faint-hearted, right?

hmm.

recently had serious concerns for my dd's health, and decided out of desperation for help and opinion to post in AIBU. It was the best thing i have ever posted on here, as i got lots of help, and i hadn't had much traffic on preteen and childrens health. It really really gave me a large audience, and lotsof exp and advice.

I can't see what is wrong with posting there.

these days MNHQ does tend to shift threads from AIBU to more appropriate boards, even if there hasn't beeen argy bargy.

I actually don't know to reply to that rubberglove.

bit i was also prepared to be told off or whatever, so donned hard hat.

What's the banter brigade?

I hate aibu as well, I always have.

What annoys me about the posting of serious and sensitive stuff there is the fact that the context is flippant and aggressive and rather childish, and these issues don't appear to sit comfortably within that context, not to me anyway.

Seeing a thread title in A/C such as 'AIBU to think my husband shouldn't hit my head against the wall for forgetting to clean his shirt' just makes me feel a bit sick. It seems to imply that either the OP doesn't take the issue entirely seriously, or they don't expect their audience to.

It's one word: inappropriate. Though of course all sympathy to the OP in a situation like that, wherever they decide to post about it. That's not the point.

Most threads in AIBU annoy me though so maybe that's something to do with it. I hate the whole thing.

Well I can't fathom why that would annoy someone? Why?

I know AIBU has a direct approach, so I can't think of any other reason why that would bother anyone.

Maybe they'd like to talk to people who don't have any experience of mental health problems to get a different perspective on what's troubling them.

They could feel lonely and want/need to talk to someone now rather than be able to wait for answers on another board.

They're not being unreasonable to want contact with someone else, but you are being unreasonable thinking ill of them and making them feel shit for reaching out for help.

If they were feeling suicidal (even if you couldn't know that because they weren't able to write it in their OP) would that make you think differently about it?

Because it is the wrong context for anything particularly serious, where it is completely clear who is reasonable and who isn't.

AIBU only has a justifiable place in the settling of unnecessary and bizarre dilemmas.

Rubberglove
You can't fathom out why it would annoy someone so your default position is to attack me? Nice.

If you need an explanation you could read Emilie's post above/below however you read it.

AZ - I don't think it is a question of having no sympathy for the OP or wanting them to feel bad for posting there. It is a concern for them that their approach may not indicate the best sort of help available on a forum like this.

It is like someone walking into a pub and shouting 'I am really depressed/being abused/whatever. Someone help me! Now!' You would want to help but you would worry that it wasn't the right way to get the best result.

yabu, people can ask what they want, aibu is the best place if you want honest, blunt answers and there's a greater diversity of opinion here.

I don't understand why it bothers anyone... If I don't want to read something then I don't regardless of wherever it is.

How do you avoid seeing thread titles though if they are part of A/C? that's the only time I see them, I don't hang around in aibu for fun or anything. It's my idea of internet hell.