***No AA or recovery style posting in this forum***

Dave!

Hey guys,

The forum charter says the above, but many people have ignored it. You'll noticed I just closed a few threads for that purpose.

The admins decided a few months ago that this forum can not serve the purpose of being a support group, and that it should be solely used as a social group for those non-drinkers (alcoholics or otherwise) who want to have some fun with other non-drinkers.

The admins have their reasons for enforcing this, so we just have to respect that when a site gets as big and generates as much attention as boards, the owners have to be careful.

If anyone is aware of an Irish forum for alcoholics or addictions in general, then please feel free to post it up here and others can check it out too. If none exist, maybe I'll make one myself when I get home in a few weeks!

Sorry for any inconvenience caused by this. Please post your thoughts in this thread rather than PMing me.

Cheers,

Dave

zero_nine

I understand the reasons. It would be good to have a pure non-drinkers group. However the recovery aspect of this is important and probably more popular than the non-drinker aspect (and the only reason I use boards.ie). I am not aware of an Irish board that provides this service- I use mywayout.org (American I assume)

Dave!

Yeah I agree that more people probably use this forum for recovery/support than for the social reasons originally envisaged, however unfortunately the admins still have reasonable concerns about allowing the forum to operate in that fashion, so there's nothing we can do really

Hopefully someone else can suggest an Irish forum for you.

cue

Regarding discussion forums, I've heard of intherooms.com but I have never tried them.

CDfm

+1

mct1

I can recommend www.brighteyecounselling.co.uk which is a great information website with an excellent support forum. It's not AA based, though a few of its members use AA as well.

nigel123ie

Hi All

I have been making one for a few months know and i have just posted it on here because i would like to see what people think of it before it goes properly live on google.

Myself i am in recovery from cancer and alcohol and i needed a project to help me feel that i could still help people, so please try it and let me know what you think its www.worldrecoverynetwork.com its very close to F***book but for people in recovery. There is no ads on it its not about making money. its for the people.

SandStone

Dave! wrote: »

Yeah I agree that more people probably use this forum for recovery/support than for the social reasons originally envisaged, however unfortunately the admins still have reasonable concerns about allowing the forum to operate in that fashion, so there's nothing we can do really

I'm guessing that the admins' concerns are similar to the ones regarding not having medical advice on the site. But if there were to be any legal complications, the question of whether this forum is officially for medical advice or not probably wouldn't make a difference. The fact is that the admins are allowing it to operate as one.

Dave!

No they're not, they've told me to close or delete any recovery type threads I see, and I do just that with many threads a week... I'm sure I miss some, so feel free to report any!

SandStone

Dave! wrote: »

No they're not, they've told me to close or delete any recovery type threads I see, and I do just that with many threads a week... I'm sure I miss some, so feel free to report any!

Look at the first page of this forum. There are lots of unlocked posts about how to stop drinking, moderation in drinking, "My Story" of too much drinking and drugs, the politics of alcohol licensing and advertising, liver disease, Amy Winehouse etc.

There are a handful of threads from people seeking non-alcohol-related leisure activities (and even then a lot of them are started by recovering alcoholics), but wasn't this group originally meant to be for boardsies to organise such activities with each other, in a way similar to Boards Beers?

Amtmann

Dave! wrote: »

No they're not, they've told me to close or delete any recovery type threads I see, and I do just that with many threads a week... I'm sure I miss some, so feel free to report any!

Thanks for that post, Dave!. I'll start reporting from now on. I originally popped into this forum for social reasons, but the amount of recovery-type posts is frankly offputting.

CDfm

Tremelo wrote: »

Thanks for that post, Dave!. I'll start reporting from now on. I originally popped into this forum for social reasons, but the amount of recovery-type posts is frankly offputting.

+1

Me too so and i stopped following the forum.

Sunnyisland

By the amount of posts it seems to me there is obvious a need for something different than just a non drinking social get together,But whatever its not my call.

CDfm

realies wrote: »

By the amount of posts it seems to me there is obvious a need for something different than just a non drinking social get together,But whatever its not my call.

When I have ever read recovery style threads they have gotten boring and I can see why boards would think them medical advice like.

Social groups are hosted communitues that are not regulated by boards

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/group.php

An private internet chat group is not real life. I cant imagine they would work for pregnancy either.

Is that what you mean

Could you not just make a private sub forum like the motivational and personal development forum?

CDfm

No comment on new forums.

A social group could be set up instantly and could be open or closed.

I had one with almost 100 members and 1 to 2,000 posts a week.

You advertise it via sigs or by invites but there are no thread updates but members can get a daily group update

Sigs you can get here

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=73924521&postcount=2129

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=73561221&postcount=2127

So it can be done if the people involved put the effort in.

Whether its a good idea is a different issue but the thread topics aint wanted here.

Sunnyisland

CDfm wrote: »

When I have ever read recovery style threads they have gotten boring and I can see why boards would think them medical advice like.

Social groups are hosted communities that are not regulated by boards

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/group.php

An private internet chat group is not real life. I cant imagine they would work for pregnancy either.

Is that what you mean

I get what you all mean,personally i don't see them boring as i can relate to a lot of what the posters are going through.As whether they work or not,they certainly helped me and its nice to be able to discuss your problems anonymously at least at the start,I don't see by posting here is doing any harm if anything it does help some people, There is a forum here about long term illness & depression does that help anyone ? of course it does.Thats my opinion on it anyway :-)

CDfm

realies wrote: »

I get what you all mean,personally i don't see them boring as i can relate to a lot of what the posters are going through.As whether they work or not,they certainly helped me and its nice to be able to discuss your problems anonymously at least at the start,I don't see by posting here is doing any harm if anything it does help some people, There is a forum here about long term illness & depression does that help anyone ? of course it does.Thats my opinion on it anyway :-)

Sorry Reallies, I didnt mean to come accross as negative , just saying that if people in recovery wanted a group ,either public or private, on boards then the social group route might be just the ticket.

Its something that you and other like minded people could do straight away if you had a mind to and it allows you to invite others on etc.

Who knows, the mods may allow you post a link in a sticky ???.

Sunnyisland

I do understand where you & others are coming from, I will pm dave,

Ps cool avatar

CDfm

realies wrote: »

I do understand where you & others are coming from, I will pm dave,

Ps cool avatar

A great idea - and if you need any help on setting up/running a group I will be glad to help:D

Sunnyisland

Thanks CDFM.

Amtmann

Hi Folks,

I'll be helping Dave! out with the modding from now on. If you see any recovery style posts, report them and I'll take action.

Sunnyisland

Tremelo wrote: »

Hi Folks,

I'll be helping Dave! out with the modding from now on. If you see any recovery style posts, report them and I'll take action.

Hi Tremelo could you just clarify what is recovery style posts,There have been a few posts lately (thread, having touched a drop in )about going alcohol free for october and support has been given, Are they allowed ?

Amtmann

realies wrote: »

Hi Tremelo could you just clarify what is recovery style posts,There have been a few posts lately (thread, having touched a drop in )about going alcohol free for october and support has been given, Are they allowed ?

It depends on the context. Such matters will be determined on a case by case basis. If you have any concerns about a post, report it and we'll take a look.

However, I'm of the view that posts in which the OP wishes to abstain because of an alcohol-related problem would be against the ethos of the forum.
However, if the OP has no concerns about their drinking habits and is simply exploring the possibility of giving up and wants to discuss alternative activities and the experiences of non-drinkers, then that's fine.

The key thing here is context. If the OP were to declare that it's hard for them to quit, well, we can't give any advice on that and the post would likely be deleted. This might seem heavy-handed to some, but discretion of the moderator applies.

CDfm

Tremelo wrote: »

Hi Folks,

I'll be helping Dave! out with the modding from now on. If you see any recovery style posts, report them and I'll take action.

Welcomes Tremelo

And waits for the new threads " the Non Drinkers Guide to Lapdancing Clubs" , " Non drinking Women and how to deal with them ".

The forum was never for recovery and I am sure recovery people might be better served with a private group or two and a sticky for recovery resourses.

Sunnyisland

Tremelo wrote: »

It depends on the context. Such matters will be determined on a case by case basis. If you have any concerns about a post, report it and we'll take a look.

However, I'm of the view that posts in which the OP wishes to abstain because of an alcohol-related problem would be against the ethos of the forum.
However, if the OP has no concerns about their drinking habits and is simply exploring the possibility of giving up and wants to discuss alternative activities and the experiences of non-drinkers, then that's fine.

The key thing here is context. If the OP were to declare that it's hard for them to quit, well, we can't give any advice on that and the post would likely be deleted. This might seem heavy-handed to some, but discretion of the moderator applies.

Ok understand loud & clear. which in my opinion is a pity,But so be it.

CDfm

realies wrote: »

Ok understand loud & clear. which in my opinion is a pity,But so be it.

but you could still have a list of recovery resourses here and an open or private social group

posts in groups dont show up in the general posts & that might suit recovery people better

the ball is pretty much in your court on that and what you agree with the mods as a happy accomadation.

anto77

this forum is dying a death - it's in lockdown mode. has the potential to be a great source of support for people having questions/with issues but that has been removed now.

Dave!

Maybe so, but that's the directive from above!

It could still be a good social resource for non-drinkers though - why not organize a get-together of some sort?

CDfm

anto77 wrote: »

this forum is dying a death - it's in lockdown mode. has the potential to be a great source of support for people having questions/with issues but that has been removed now.

Ah but anto the boys in the bovver boots has said that the men in suits have shook their heads saying its doctoring .


A recovery forum would require heavy moderation - I am not a mod but I can see the medical, mental health ,legal issues and the contradictory type of advice that could arise.


So moaning is great but no one who is asking for a recovery resource has even attempted to put a directory or social group together for recovery people.

Those who are looking for a recovery group haven't come together and tried to put anything together within the options available which would seem to be the best way forward. What makes you think it would not work as you haven't even tried it.

People in recovery are not the only non drinkers and that's life.

Kamili

Tremelo wrote: »

Thanks for that post, Dave!. I'll start reporting from now on. I originally popped into this forum for social reasons, but the amount of recovery-type posts is frankly offputting.

I also stopped following, and a few years ago had questioned these type of posts and stated I felt it was off putting.

As a result I stopped posting here.