Does WP try to help people who may harm themselves?

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'sok, just didn't wnat this thread to get locked too lol

I would imagine it would depend on the situation. Sometimes people just need to vent. If someone talks about how they are eventually going to kill themselves or that they are feeling suicidal, then being swooped down on by EMT's may make them not only feel harrassed (which they are because they are talking about feelings) but could possibly cause a lawsuit.

If someone posts something like (and this is just an EXAMPLE, I'm NOT suicidal) "I've just taken 150 Xanax" or "I've just gone and got my dad's gun and it's in my lap, I'm about to shoot myself" then I'd imagine that someone in charge would try very, very hard to find a way to locate them and get help to them.

I'd guess that it's basically actual actions that would cause someone to get help out there immediately, not so much just venting about feelings. I know that at times I will talk about suicide and sound very adamant about it, but what I'm really trying to get across is how trapped, frustrated, and helpless I feel. Why I can't say it like that at the time, i don't know.

I have been a senior staffmember on a very large website for quite a few years, so I can answer this.

When you post anything to the internet the server logs your IP address, which is the electronic address your ISP (Internet Service Provider) gives you. Moderators or administrators will have a little button next to the quote button which they can click to get the IP address used to post that message. Most forums also list every IP address that poster has ever used, along with other accounts that have used that IP address. (Though probably not phpbb, it's a bit basic)

You can't translate an IP address to a physical street address, however your can geographically locate the substantive majority of IP addresses down to the nearest county and the address you are given identifies who the ISP is, with emergency contact details. Basically you just run an IPWHOIS.

If you have a suicide threat, the procedure depends on which country your in, but basically you contact the police.

The police then contact the ISP. ISP's tend to respond to emergency requests from the police promptly when faced with the possibility of a customer or son/daughter of a customer committing suicide, at which point the police have the address of the person and the police then contact the local police force and send officers to physically investigate.

Or, the police realise that the person is actually in another country, contact the embassy of that country and the embassy contacts their national police through the appropriate emergency channels, they pass the information over and the local police dispatch a police car.

I would imagine/hope that WP has their own procedures for dealing with suicide threats. The site I am a senior member of staff for has, and we aren't an "at risk" group to the same degree WP is. I have occasionally agonised over if a topic on our forum requires me (morally or legally) to make a police report. It's even less pleasant when you discover someone is just doing it for the attention and their amusement, at which point they discover what sufficiently aggravated admin can do.

I noticed this thread, after you had posted in my thread, so I'm sorry for having worried you/made you so concerned. It wasn't my intention to cause distress, with the thread. I'm still thinking about the reasons behind making that thread, though... I am pretty much dead inside, after all.

I don't know why I have only recently realized there are suicide posts on Wrong Planet about once a week, if not more often.

It usually runs the same pattern, of some people responding by saying yes I feel that way too, other people saying please do not do this, get help. And the post from a few who write helping someone plan a suicide is unethical. Then the flame wars start, on that issue.....

I wrote Alex a PM yesterday asking him what is his position on suicide threads. I wrote him that I thought Wrong Planet was about LIVING your life on the autistic spectrum not figuring out how to DIE because you are so depressed and frustrated. I have yet to get a response....

I feel he is condoning suicide by not responding to these threads.

Then I googled Wrong Planet + suicide and found a long thoughtful thread that was written about a year ago by the volunteer board moderators. As Hyperlexian already noted, Alex has been supposedly advised by his attorney not to respond to suicide threads, he could get sued. This has not been confirmed directly by Mr. Plank as far as I can tell, just posts that other WP members have written about him.

I suggested to Alex that WP start a forum for coping with suicide ideation. I dunno put up a big fat legal disclaimer that this is just advice, go see your doctor for real help. But it disturbs me that so far Wrong Planet's attitude is laissez faire.

Someone posted that WP doesn't care, so far I think they have that about right.

Maybe Alex will care if WP starts to get an online reputation as hey everyone, this is great place to plan your suicide when you are so depressed and down and frustrated with life on the autism spectrum...

I have found plenty of great advice on this website, I enjoy the diverse community and different opinions, rants, and at time, spot on advice on living life on the spectrum but I think Wrong Planet is failing in regards to suicide posters.

PaintingDiva, alex's position is explained here:

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postp3444153.html#3444153

he had received legal advice that he should not intervene in cases of suicide threats. i hope this clears up your question, and hopefully alex will explain further to you.

"WrongPlanet" is not an entity. it is a forum that is composed of individual humans who may react differently to suicidal threats on the site. i suggest that you read my response in this thread for an idea of how i personally have handled such situations. your statement that WrongPlanet does not care is frankly insulting to me and the other individual (human) members who DO care.

Sorry to butt in with an unwanted opinion but I'm a little shocked.

EVERY single forum I have ever been involved with has a policy of contacting the authorities and passing all the IP's that person has posted from to the authorities as quickly as possible. By 'not intervene' do you mean that under no circumstances will admins do that?

if you read the link i provided your answer should be in there. alex's position (based on legal advice) is quite clear. that is not to say that moderators would never take action *in spite of* alex's instructions, but officially we are not supposed to step in.

This is what you are linking to:




I had already read that and also this entire thread and that entire thread before asking the question.

The evasive vagness is why I was asking, does WP contact the authorities or not if a person/mod/admin is seriously concerned that someone is attempting suicide?

officially, on the recommendation of alex's legal advisors, we are told not to intervene.

something that does occur to me... a question for the people who think WP does nothing (which is not necessarily true in action, regardless of what is supposed to officially happen), what are YOU doing? are you alerting moderators or sending PMs to suicidal people or posting in their threads to help them? we are all members of this forum and everyone can make a difference.

if you have have suggestions for alex in terms of official policies, your best bet is to contact him directly (as PaintingDiva has done), or to post your ideas in the "Site Suggestions" thread:

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt177688.html

because i can tell you that complaining in this thread will get you absolutely nowhere, guaranteed.

Ah the joys of communicating in text. I did not mean the Volunteer Moderators don't care. They do care, a lot, and I have seen very wonderful and compassionate posts made by the moderators, yourself included.

Is this the quote you are referring to, it is from the posts I had already read, a long, articulate thread, written by the moderators, trying to figure out what the heck to do with the weekly suicide posts that happen on Wrong Planet:

Mind you this is word of mouth, this is not Alex speaking directly to any of the moderators.

To avoid getting sued, he wont' trace suicide posts. I believe is the conclusion.

I call that not caring. Others would call it smart and practical.

I am asking for a new forum called, perhaps, "Coping with Suicide Ideation/Fixation"....

But as for the volunteer Moderators. There wouldn't BE a Wrong Planet without them.

So please, please understand that what I wrote was NOT a personal attack on the moderators. It was not and I am sorry if it came out sounding that way.

Excellent idea, thanks!

thanks for that, PaintingDiva, i appreciate the clarification. i am obviously bristly about the subject, sorry to be oversensitive.

Sorry Hyperlexian, I echo what paintingDiva has just said, my comments were not meant as any form of judgement on the volunteer moderators you do an outstanding job in very difficult circumstances.

thanks for that, and again i apologise for overreacting.