In regards to the friends I was referring to, I've had daily contact and in latter years several times a week contact within a small and private email group for a little over 9 years...and knew some of them on a message board prior to that. Eventually we knew one another's names, addresses, and phone numbers. We've also had two big reunions (met in person and hung out for a few days), another small get together, and then some members have had one-on-one visits whenever they were in someone's town for business or vacationing.
The email group began as a small and private support group for multiples who are also survivors of abuse, and it has since become like a second family to me. Most of the group members have grown, changed, healed beyond the need for therapy or are in the later stages of healing.
I think the difference for me is that in private and when trust had been established, that when more personal information was shared, their profession was disclosed. The other difference is that it was clear to me that they were being open and honest about various issues they were working on, etc. It was clear that they weren't studying me or psychoanalyzing me, etc.
As a side note, for the most part, I'm a big believer in following your own personal gut instinct.
Anyway, that's been my experience and it's been a positive one in regards to this particular Internet situation.
However, I am also aware and do agree with this statement too:
On the internet, one can never tell for sure and that's why everybody should exercise extreme caution regarding what they disclose online.
It is sometimes a difficult 'call' for me to make about what I reveal on public message boards or online journals, etc. We sometimes write stuff and wonder if we should edit it and take it back in case it was 'too revealing' of any kind of personal dynamic (too personal, sacred, too identifying with bits and pieces of info someone could put together, etc.).
no subject
In regards to the friends I was referring to, I've had daily contact and in latter years several times a week contact within a small and private email group for a little over 9 years...and knew some of them on a message board prior to that. Eventually we knew one another's names, addresses, and phone numbers. We've also had two big reunions (met in person and hung out for a few days), another small get together, and then some members have had one-on-one visits whenever they were in someone's town for business or vacationing.
The email group began as a small and private support group for multiples who are also survivors of abuse, and it has since become like a second family to me. Most of the group members have grown, changed, healed beyond the need for therapy or are in the later stages of healing.
I think the difference for me is that in private and when trust had been established, that when more personal information was shared, their profession was disclosed. The other difference is that it was clear to me that they were being open and honest about various issues they were working on, etc. It was clear that they weren't studying me or psychoanalyzing me, etc.
As a side note, for the most part, I'm a big believer in following your own personal gut instinct.
Anyway, that's been my experience and it's been a positive one in regards to this particular Internet situation.
However, I am also aware and do agree with this statement too:
It is sometimes a difficult 'call' for me to make about what I reveal on public message boards or online journals, etc. We sometimes write stuff and wonder if we should edit it and take it back in case it was 'too revealing' of any kind of personal dynamic (too personal, sacred, too identifying with bits and pieces of info someone could put together, etc.).
Thanks! I hope you're having a good day!
Julie
(Julies)