This chat room is for RECOVERY purposes. If you're feeling suicidal, the need to self injure, or in extreme crisis, this room is not for you. You need to be on the phone calling 911 or your local suicide or crisis hotline. If you're not comfortable with that than you can use our hotline page for people to talk with. This room is not equipped to handle these crisis's. Discussing suicide is extremely upsetting to everyone in the room. If you come in and discuss these topics in the room or in private, you will be given suicide resources, then you will be kicked out. If you come back and continue, you will be kicked and banned.
ATTENTION NO MORE POPUPS!! Do to the fact that some of our guest have neurological problems including epilepsy we have to ban popups. They have caused seizures and other problems for these guest. If you don't know what a popup is then your not using them.
For those familiar with IRC and wish to use more robust clients such as mIRC or Pirch. The server is Starchat and the room name is #ptsdsanc. For WebTV
Other Topics: Nicknames, Self Injury, Suicide,
Rules:
1. Pick a nickname that you like and try to use it all the time.
When people change their nickname it becomes confusing to others in the room
and you will find people asking you the same questions over again because they
don't realize who you are. Sometimes while joking around, people will
change their nickname for a few minutes but we will always join the channel
with the same nickname and change it back to what we normally use.
2. Please remember that everyone in the chat has the same disorder as
you. We are all subject to the similar reactions.
Let's try to remember that in our expectations of others.
3. If you find that the room is too busy or you are needing to speak to
someone in private, please message an operator and they will be willing (in
most cases) to speak with you in another room on StarChat. (There will
be another room set up for more private discussions). The operators are
the ones with the @ symbol next to their nick. (if you are using "ircle"
for macintosh the operators will have their names in red)
4. Please remember this is a support room of people who cannot
substitute for your Therapist or Psychiatrist. If talking with others in
the room is not helping, our best advice is for you to contact your Therapist
or Psychiatrist.
5. We do not like to have to kick or ban people from the room but if you
are becoming disruptive to those in the room we will resort to this.
This includes abusive behavior to anyone in the room including the ops.
You will be warned in most cases to discontinue the inappropriate behavior and
then kicked if you do not stop.
6. This site is tolerant of all religious beliefs, however, this chat
room is not the appropriate place to discuss any one religion. You may
use simple terms such as "I will pray for ****" But there are other
places on the internet for these discussions.
7. Sexual discussions will not be tolerated. Joking around is one
thing, but I think those of us in the room realize what is inappropriate.
If you don't know what is inappropriate, an operator will remind you.
8. Reasons for being kicked or banned from this chat room include:
-talking about self-destructive behavior (for
example: speeding, criminal behavior, shoplifting, eating disorders, etc.)
other than recovery
-Bringing in outside disagreements
-Offensive quit messages
-Offensive language, Cussing is not allowed.
"Hell, Damn, Ass, Crap" are allowed.
9. Lurking is
not allowed. If you are new, we can understand about being shy and wishing to not
talk for a few visits. If you are a regular chat room
visitor to the room, than you are expected to use the room as intended. Not to
simply sit and PM others.
Due to the fact that StarChat hosts over 20,000 chat rooms, most common names already belong to someone else, so you may have to try combinations with numbers or underscores to find a nickname that is not already registered. (For example, if Susan is already registered, try _Susan_ or Susan111 or combinations like that).
With mIRC, you can tell the program what to do with commands. ALL commands start with the / so if a command does not work, check first if you included the /. If you get on IRC and it tells you the name you chose is already been taken than you can try other nicknames with the command /nick nickname
If you want to see if a nickname is already taken, use /ns info nickname
If the nick is not registered, you can use it, and even register it yourself, so no one else can use it. Once you've found an unregistered nickname you can register it by using the command /ns register password email
Choose a password you can remember easily and DO write it down so you can always use your nick. If you forget your password, you have to wait 21 days. If a nick is not used after this period of time, it will lose its registration. Ops cannot retrieve your nickname password for you.
The command /ns set kill on will prevent anyone from using your nickname and turn their nick into "guest" after a minute if they try by accident. Next time you open mIRC, fill in the nickname space with your new nickname. When you first log on to StarChat, use the command /ns id password so that nickserv knows the right person is trying to use the nickname. If you do not manage to write the command in time, or there is a delay between nickserv and you and it turns you into a Guest, you can always try a couple of minutes later, with the /nick nickname command and then identify after that. If you are an Op (a moderator), make sure you do this before you enter the room.
Anyone who is at risk for Self Injury should call 911 or their local crisis intervention group. This is not the group for them as the person needs a trained specialist. Some methods of dealing with this behavior can be found here. There is inpatient facility expressly for those who self injure which can be reached at 1-800-DONT-CUT The ops in the chat room have been flooded with people coming in saying they are harming themselves. You are responsible for your own actions and to seek treatment. The OPs are not trained to deal with this behavior.
Anyone who is at risk for suicide should call 911 or their local crisis intervention group. This is not the group for them as the person needs a trained specialist. The ops in the chat room have been flooded with suicidal people coming in. Many who are not even borderline. When this happens, no time can be spent with the borderlines and this discussion is upsetting for everyone in the room. People who are feeling suicidal will be referred to these resources, where they can receive the proper guidance and assistance. They do not belong in the chat room as it is not a safe place for suicidal people and ops are not trained for that.
The Mental Health Sanctuary provides a list of volunteers to accept telephone calls from people who are feeling suicidal and/or are in crisis. Also available is an on-line email support group called BPD - Self Harm/Suicide List This is a list for those with Borderline Personality Disorder who struggle to cope with self-harm and either feeling or being suicidal. It is an unmoderated list in which anything and everything can be discussed. On the BPDSHS list there are no rules. List members can post about details of both self-harm and suicide attempts. This list must be used at the list members own risk and each person should be aware before joining that there are no rules being enforced on this list. Click here to join this list. Thank You.