To keep this forum a sanctuary for everyone, we practice these "Safe Sharing" principles:
1. Check Your Internal "Weather"
Before you hit post, take a second to check your current state.
- Support vs. Crisis: Are you looking for peer connection, or are you in a crisis? If you are in immediate danger, please use our Get Urgent Help page first. We are your peers, and we want you to have the professional safety you deserve.
- Tag Your Intent: Use tags like [Seeking Help] or [Sharing Learnings] in your title. It helps the community know whether to offer tools or just a quiet, supportive "I hear you."
We all have a limit to how much heavy lifting we can do before feeling overwhelmed.
- The "Blank Space" Rule: If your post mentions self-harm, abuse, or trauma, put [Trigger Warning] at the beginning of your forum topic. This gives others the choice to engage when they are feeling strong enough.
- Focus on the "Now": The past shaped us, but this space is for the now. We focus on how those feelings are moving through us today and which "In My Head" tools we’re using to stay anchored.
Personality disorders can sometimes flip the "black and white" switch—making people or situations feel all good or all bad.
- Resist the Split: We encourage a space where we can be angry at someone and acknowledge they are human, or be upset with ourselves and remain worthy of kindness.
- Individual Truths: Avoid broad "Us vs. Them" generalizations about doctors or "neurotypicals." This is a space for your specific, unique story.
The heartbeat of In My Head is reciprocity.
- The "One-for-One" Goal: If you start a thread seeking a hand to hold, try to leave a kind word on at least one other person's post. This ensures that no one in our circle feels invisible.
When you reply to a fellow member, remember the In My Head etiquette:
- Ask, Don’t Assume: A simple "Are you looking for advice, or just a safe place to vent? /gen" goes a long way.
- Soften the Landing: Many of us deal with Rejection Sensitivity. Using tone indicators like /nm (not mad), /pos (positive), or /hj (half-joking) can prevent a world of unnecessary heartache.
If you read something that triggers a sharp emotional reaction, we practice the 10-Minute Rule. Step away from the screen, take a few "box breaths," and see if you still feel the same way before replying. This protects your peace—and the peace of the person on the other side of the wire.
You are not your diagnosis. You are a valued part of this circle. Let's look after one another.