Why are these kind of threads deleted?

[MrsSarahSiddons]

This is not about a specific thread. I would like to know why MHQ delete threads where the OP sounds desperate/suicidal. I have seen this happening several times and I would have thought these OPs deserve our support. Can't see the reasoning here. Any answers?

Either the OP was a troll and it was all total bullshit or the OP gave away too many details and asked MNHQ to delete the thread.

They took advice from some professional organisations and decided it was the best policy. So they are all deleted now.

Possibly cause you need to be very careful speaking to someone as vulnerable, or even worse a nasty post could have an awful effect..

I believe that mnhq gets in touch with the op and links them to places they can contact for real life help before the thread is deleted. When a thread like that is genuine the last thing a person needs is a troll jumping on a thread or PMing them.

They don't want to be liable I expect. You only need some troll telling them to go ahead and jump...

There are protocols to follow I think.

A friend of mine posted on netmums that she was going to kill herself and the HQ actually found her address and sent the police round which was amazing. Hoping MNHQ have the same sort of thing.

I've frequently pondered about that. It's a shame actually as your instinctive reaction would be to reach out and it really isn't that unusual to feel like that at times.

I would guess liability and not having anyone hurt OP

Hi there, OP.

Yes, as previous posters have said, we do have a policy in place, which we put together after discussion on the boards, and with the help of MIND and The Samaritans. We try to leave threads to run where we can, though we post links to help. But we do have to take down threads that mention methods or where someone seems to be directly saying they are going to take their own life.

We do know it's upsetting when these threads come down and it's wonderful to see the support some really desperate posters are offered here, but we also have a duty to our other members and to anyone else reading who might be triggered by what they see here.

We know it can seem a bit harsh sometimes but we are just following the advice we were given by the experts, and we think that's the best we can do really, both for posters who are suicidal and also for our users as a whole.

Hope that explains things a bit.

I think these threads (where genuine) would require proper trained support. Advice given on an internet board, even with very good intentions, could cause more harm then good.

Because mn is not a suicide support thread. Because someone who is genuinely wanting to commit suicide needs professional help which is not available on mn.

Also, for some people it is a cry for attention not in the trolling sense but in the sense that if they post that they want to commit suicide then there are multiple other posters who may also be vulnerable who will be drawn to the thread and gain something negative from it. And because the wrong post could mean that someone might take the jump so to speak.

Also, if a poster does commit suicide there is no actual way of knowing which in turn could have an impact on others when actually the poster might just have gone to bed iyswim.

And no, it is not mn hq’s place to get involved in finding someone’s address to send the police round although they will email the OP links to support while deleting the thread at the same time.

They took advice from numerous mh charities and the samaritans when deciding that there will be a blanket deletion policy on suicide threads.

What posters need to remember is that none of us are responsible for the mental wellbeing of others, and none of us are qualified to deal with someone who is genuinely suicidal.

A friend of mine posted on netmums that she was going to kill herself and the HQ actually found her address and sent the police round which was amazing. Hoping MNHQ have the same sort of thing.

This actually reminded of what a Greek forum moderator did when a new mum posted she had dark thoughts (PND) --> moderator sent the police to her place and got her arrested to prevent her harming her kids ... sickening
Well done to netmums!

Thanks MNHQ Hebe,
it just seems very sad when the poster seems to have been getting support from MN.
but i understand your reasoning.

Nobody commits suicide anymore, suicide isn't an offence. Completing suicide is the terminology used in dealing with suicidal people. I'm not being an arse, I have to use this at work so is quite fresh in my mind.