Have you ever felt guilty or embarrassed about posting on a site for lonely people?

Like depression, there is still a certain stigma attached to "loneliness", and let's face it, the internet is a cruel environment, and many people enjoy taking the piss.

Have you ever experienced mockery or ridicule for posting on a site such as this? Has it ever made you feel bad or guilty about continuing to post here?

If so, how did you deal with it?

If you mean if anybody has made fun of me for posting on such a forum then no. Do I feel guilty for being part of this forum ? No , why would I ? Its a forum just like a gaming one etc , a place where you talk about something you have in common with other people. Sadly this one is not about how we all won the lottery and banged chicks from all the countries but still its not something to feel bad over.

No

I told a friend I did the other day, he logged on hoping, in his own words to "dig up something to take the piss out of you with". He was annoyed there was nothing he didn't know and that it was mostly coherent sense I was spouting.

I think thats the nicest thing he has ever said to me.

Dave, if you're stalking me now, I love you.x

^ Sounds a bit gay, but fair play.

Solitary man said:

^ Sounds a bit gay, but fair play.

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Oh yeah, its a full on bromance.

Not many people irl know I'm a member. The one that does makes the odd joke about it. I don't really care though.

I've heard "I don't like the name of that site" when they seen my screen, but I don't care. Embarrased? Only when a friend might have caught a glimse of the title once....cause that person might make fun of me but whatever.. I'm sure if he knew about the site, he'd be here too. I have told a different friend about it and he checked it out. Am I ever guilty for being on here?? Not at all!! I'm happy to be here.

Good, positive, stuff.

I haven't been here long enough to be able to make any evaluations, but if this place really does help people who are experiencing long term loneliness to cope with it and perhaps overcome it, then it's only a force for good.

Of course you'll always get trolls and ******** who will attempt to rib you about being here, but maybe they don't know the true meaning of the word "loneliness", as perhaps they have never experienced it.

The way I look at it, this site could ultimately be a life saver for many people, and the anonymity afforded posters allows people to be as open and honest about their life experience as they wish, or not, as the case may be.

I joined at a time where I felt very down about things like most people. I'm ok most of the time now and only occasionally feel the need to express how I feel (like the other day, no response, screw you all ) but I like it here there's some good people so I'm sticking around. I was a bit cynical of online friendship, I wouldn't say I have made any real friends as such yet but there's plenty of people’s opinions I have come to respect and I'd like to get to know them better so it’s a good place to be and beats doing work. (Thats the only down side, productivity at work has dropped alarmingly!)

I think it’s played a part in cheering me up anyway, my self esteem had taken a hit and just talking and relating to people and seeing people in similar situations or with a lot more to complain about than I ever could have is a good way of gaining a bit of perspective. I feel my old self again more or less.

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One odd aside in terms of getting to know people here is I don't PM very much, (did today tho, 3 lucky people, you know who you are). Anyway so you are getting to know people in the public domain so to speak. Getting to know people irl is about a load of separate individual encounters where you naturally adapt your response to who you are speaking. In here you have to be aware that everyone is potentially reading what you say so it makes you more temperate and considered in your response I guess so thats a good thing too, maybe to make me a more consistent person.

Dunno, just thinking out loud. Sorry I'll shut up now.

nobody knows what i post here.

I haven't felt guilty for being on this site, as I know my loneliness needed to be addressed. When I went on this site, my eyes was opened to how sad most people's lives are, even people I see on the streets. And how we need to really reach out on each other.

I did felt a bit embarrassed about being here, I still hide it when I am opening ALL at home or at my work place. But I think it's cos, I just don't my family to know I'm in this site as I know my parents would feel sad about it. I don't want my boss and co-workers to know as I feel it's part of my private life I don't want to share to just anyone. Oddly enough, I feel most embarrassed when letting my friends know about this site.

The Good Citizen said:

I was a bit cynical of online friendship, I wouldn't say I have made any real friends as such yet but there's plenty of people’s opinions I have come to respect and I'd like to get to know them better so it’s a good place to be and beats doing work. (Thats the only down side, productivity at work has dropped alarmingly!)

I think it’s played a part in cheering me up anyway, my self esteem had taken a hit and just talking and relating to people and seeing people in similar situations or with a lot more to complain about than I ever could have is a good way of gaining a bit of perspective. I feel my old self again more or less.

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Anyway so you are getting to know people in the public domain so to speak. Getting to know people irl is about a load of separate individual encounters where you naturally adapt your response to who you are speaking. In here you have to be aware that everyone is potentially reading what you say so it makes you more temperate and considered in your response I guess so thats a good thing too, maybe to make me a more consistent person.

Dunno, just thinking out loud. Sorry I'll shut up now.

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No, that was good. After some of the rubbish I've forced myself to wade through on other sites, it's very refreshing to read material that's not about iPhones, IPads, cars, and all of that materialist rubbish.

I was on a site for just over two years and it was a pretty lively cyber-environment where I had some fun, but there was also a lot of conflict and incessant arguing. Far from cheering me up, it actually began to wear me down, as the negativity was so full on that it became unbearable, and I left.

I've been searching for a good site for about a year now, have tried many, and they have all failed to satisfy. Too many hostile people on a lot of sites, making meaningful discourse virtually impossible. So far I'm getting a good vibe off the people here.

Let's see if it lasts.

floffyschneeman said:

I haven't felt guilty for being on this site, as I know my loneliness needed to be addressed. When I went on this site, my eyes was opened to how sad most people's lives are, even people I see on the streets. And how we need to really reach out on each other.

I did felt a bit embarrassed about being here, I still hide it when I am opening ALL at home or at my work place. But I think it's cos, I just don't my family to know I'm in this site as I know my parents would feel sad about it. I don't want my boss and co-workers to know as I feel it's part of my private life I don't want to share to just anyone. Oddly enough, I feel most embarrassed when letting my friends know about this site.

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Yeah, people reaching out to one another in cyberspace, that's what sites like this should be all about, as many people IRL are totally detached and alienated from eachother, and real life social interactions are difficult for people like us.

And you don't have to let anyone know that you use this site if you're feeling embarrassed about it. I live alone, so no-one knows that I've registered with this site, and I'm not about to place an advertisement in the local paper broadcasting the fact.

Some things are just better kept private.

No, I can't say I've ever felt embarrassed. I'm not ashamed that I signed up to this forum, nor am I too proud to admit that I like both this forum and the people who frequent it.

I don't usually show people this forum

Yep. 16 year olds are usually not lonely. I'm the youngest one here lol.

Ak5 said:

Yep. 16 year olds are usually not lonely. I'm the youngest one here lol.

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You'd be surprised they just don't say it

Lets be honest, this is not a site I'd tell people that I frequent. I found this site out of desperation almost, still haven't managed to intergrate properly yet but that's because I work long hours and whenever I see a topic someone has posted what I wanted to say in a much better manner, so I don't reply.

I'm in a day to day environment where people are expected to be "normal" and as the main people I speak to are work colleagues, mentioning I frequent a site for lonely people would lower their oppinion of me by a significant degree.

The Pariah said:

I'm in a day to day environment where people are expected to be "normal" and as the main people I speak to are work colleagues, mentioning I frequent a site for lonely people would lower their oppinion of me by a significant degree.

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Regrettably, that's the sad truth. People can be (very) mean, and instead of offering you a smidging of sympathy and support, many will gleefully view it as an opportunity to stick the boot in.

There are a few people that I hide it from. However, that is mostly because I don't want them coming here and seeing what I write (because some....maybe a lot...of it is about them).
The title is too easy to remember and I know for a fact that a few people have went around to places I frequent on the internet to try to find some honeysuckle on me. I have enough drama IRL, I don't need more by specific people finding out who I am on this site and searching for what I post.
As for my friends, I don't care if they know. Most of them know I'm on a website for lonely people, a few of them know the name of it, one of them is actually here.