![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Mark H. on April 10, 2002, at 11:30:32
Fellow Babblers,
Dr. Bob is our moderator and we ask a lot of him. As we all know, he carries this board on his own time and out of his own pocket. It's especially difficult to balance and encourage open discussion with the need to exercise enough decisive discretion (in terms of warning, blocking and deleting) to keep these boards running smoothly. There's nothing enjoyable about having to censor or chastise people whose contributions to this board he admires and respects, people he cares about as we all do.
While Dr. Bob is the leader and champion of open discussion of mental health issues on the Internet, and therefore sometimes seems bigger-than-life (to some of us), it's important to remember during painful times like these that he's also a person and a mental health professional who struggles with difficult feelings like the rest of us when our community loses someone to suicide.
Important admnistrative issues still need to be discussed, and I don't mean to detract in any way from the validity of the concerns about blocking and deleting posts, and other issues that have been raised.
To the extent we can, however, this is a good time to offer Dr. Bob support even for those decisions with which we disagree, at least until the current crisis is a little further behind us.
Mark H.
Posted by Krazy Kat on April 10, 2002, at 12:08:13
In reply to Please Be Extra Kind For Awhile, posted by Mark H. on April 10, 2002, at 11:30:32
Mark:
I agree with you wholeheartedly - i hope we all, including myself, can be extra-kind right now.
i also hope dr. bob can devote some extra time to this board right now, and help counsel through email. i dread hearing that another member has chosen this death over life, and feel there is a grave responsibilty when you bring together people who may need a little extra help during crises.
thanks.
- kelly
Posted by Dr. Bob on April 10, 2002, at 16:54:46
In reply to Please Be Extra Kind For Awhile, posted by Mark H. on April 10, 2002, at 11:30:32
> To the extent we can, however, this is a good time to offer Dr. Bob support
How really extra kind of you, thanks very much. :-)
Bob
Posted by fi on April 11, 2002, at 10:39:28
In reply to support » Mark H., posted by Krazy Kat on April 10, 2002, at 12:08:13
3 things:
1. I havent been around when this happened before- but a couple of people have now mentioned that it has. Unsurprising, given the nature of what many of us struggle with. Has it happened much? When it happened before, was there anything particularly helpful (or unhelpful and worth avoiding) for people on the Board, which hasnt happened yet?
2. It should be stated explicitly that this Board is very different from what Dr B no doubt copes with in his 'day job' in that none of us- including him- has any responsibility in acting to prevent suicide. We can be supportive of each other, and maybe suggest action they might take- but its up to each of us what we do. Its similar in that way to a support group I belonged to for a while- more so, really.
I'm not suggesting that anyone seems to feel they are responsible- just that we dont need to.
3. I do sometimes wonder if Dr B could have a wider list of FAQs or something and just refer all those endless posts challenging his decisions to the appropriate one. Rather than having to say much the same thing over and over and over again. Can't be much fun.
Fi
Posted by Shar on April 11, 2002, at 13:19:12
In reply to Re: support, posted by fi on April 11, 2002, at 10:39:28
Dr. B,
If you need extra support, kind words, appreciation for your hard work and conscientiousness, thanks for maintaining this safe place for us.....consider it done. You undoubtedly deserve much more explicit recognition and appreciation than you get.I know I'm awfully oppositional, but I have heartfelt gratitude for this site and your work, and your willingness to involve us in decision-making when possible, and responding to our agreements and disagreements with you, and the way you are not overly involved with most threads. Plus, you do consider input even from people who must get terribly annoying at times--like me; a sign of maturity and a good role model for us.
Shar
Posted by Ron Hill on April 11, 2002, at 15:22:19
In reply to Please Be Extra Kind For Awhile, posted by Mark H. on April 10, 2002, at 11:30:32
> While Dr. Bob is the leader and champion of open discussion of mental health issues on the Internet, and therefore sometimes seems bigger-than-life (to some of us), it's important to remember during painful times like these that he's also a person and a mental health professional who struggles with difficult feelings like the rest of us when our community loses someone to suicide.
----------------------------------Mark,
To help us process the grief, would it be appropriate to post the screen name(s) of the person that has crossed to the other side?
-- Ron
Posted by Fi on April 11, 2002, at 16:47:28
In reply to Re: Please Be Extra Kind For Awhile » Mark H., posted by Ron Hill on April 11, 2002, at 15:22:19
Sorry, Ron. For those of us regular Babblers on PSB, her name has been mentioned so many times as a poster, and then after she died, that it was easy not to notice Sar hadnt been named on PBA.
There is a whole range of rememberances, including some powerful poems, on PSB. So do check them out if you are wanting to join in that process.
Fi
Posted by Ron Hill on April 11, 2002, at 17:30:28
In reply to We are remembering Sar » Ron Hill, posted by Fi on April 11, 2002, at 16:47:28
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Administration | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.