Has anyone ever consider going to the media?
 

Has anyone here ever taken there psychitric disorder to the media? or considered taking it to the media?

I did..
Due to the fact I was greatly misunderstood, I wanted to raise awareness to help other suffers of this disoder. My favoirte magizine was Seventeen. So I contacted them to do my story. Immediately they took interest in my store. They published on the cover “I was to ugly to leave the House” on the inside it said “I felt to ugly to leave the house.” It was a tactic to sell more magizine, yet it left me greatly distressed. I went online and googled pleases responses to my story. Some claimed they discovered they had BDD, and others found it laughable and funny.

That is awful that some people had the disrespect to find it "funny". Some magazine companies are ridiculous in their "tactics".

It's basic magazine 101 - of course they're going to edit the story to their advantage, their business is to sell magazines.

It's great what you did, that they featured it and you raised awareness - but to go in and not expect the story to be edited to sell copies is quite naive I think.

I considered taking something to the newspaper but realised that I wasn't that unique in my illnesses and didn't take it any further.

I am constantly emailed to ask to post threads on RYL asking for members to get involved with x and y 'interview' or documentary on x and y program and magazine, and indeed seventeen has tried it on multiple times here. We are in facy currently working on a seperate section on RYL where research requests and 'some' media requests can be housed. I have always banned 99.9% of them from the boards, and I feel for good reason.

Normally, they are filled with how much they are rooting for the cause, and planning on forwarding awareness and hope. In the end, people get hurt and they end up writing sensationalist rubbish just to make money from those same vulnerable people they falsely claim to be trying to help.

It's a pity, because awareness is of great importance. However, unlike with breast cancer of something, awareness with Self Harm is not the same. There is always an element of teaching people that other people have found their way through their issues by using self harm. Unless it is put in very careful context, the case of still very much out as to whether such interviews and articles cause more people to start self harming than they do stop. Now BDD isn't like that, but bad protrail can still lead to the same effects. The fact you are here, years later still hurt by it says something in itself...

Well done for standing up and doing this, it is important that people do. I am sorry that you had to bear the cost of it on your shoulders - if it means anything I also know only too well how the media can be.

On a semi related note that freaked me out. A book which you once reviewed on amazon I have just discovered a) existed and b) was written by someone I used to know a few years back, I think via here. Random!


Welcome to RYL and take good care of yourself. I hope that things are now better for you these days?

Harley

Yep, of course the media are going to want to slant things in such a way as to sell copies. We all love a car crash story, right?

Once you have put a story out there you no longer have any control over it. You have to take the good with the bad.

I'm sorry that your attempt to raise awareness didn't work out how you wanted.

I've never thought of going to the media about anything but I wouldn't trust them to not twist what I said or take things out of context etc etc. They are there to sell magazines, so I feel their interest will be from that point of view, not to help you to raise awareness or let other people know of psychiatric disorders.

The reason I haven't tried to contact the media to raise awareness is because of the stigma surrounding mental health. Even if you want a positive story, it will always be you who ends up being demonised.

I went to MacDonald's once...i soo would go again..

And this..

I find it good you ban these post. Many of the psychitric forums don't however I have seen person after person after person become humiliated on TV or magizines.

Real do you mean Rachael Baughan?
I go to BDD central I found out she used that site as well.

@BigMike whats that mean?

Tottaly I would have to read thins from people like this

^ I don't actually see that much wrong with the comment.

Yeah there really is nothing wrong with that comment, he/she is just speaking there mind and let's be honest they could have been worse.

I find that triggering..this post why would post that?

Aww i'm sorry you find that triggering.

well they are saying they laughed about my sufeing maybe you will feel differnlty when someone does that to you.

Personally I don't think that is triggering at all, but each to their own.

If thats you in your picture then i don't know why anyone would call you ugly!

I have, although admittedly not as a result of the national press. Really, once you put a story out there it is in the hands of the public and if they want to laugh at it (and some will) then there's nothing you can do about it. Let it go and move on.

Im just to sharing it, however I am over it. Yes you are subjected to critism. and people are alloud to say "I don't like this story" etc etc. like "I think shes trying to get attention.."

hey srry forget about it im fine. It not about me haha.

and yeah that is me in the pic.

Nice edit, but it wasn't quite quick enough. Calling me a "jerk" isn't going to change my point of view. I haven't been nasty or rude to you. I suggest you look at your own posts and your own attitude before commenting on that of other people.

It's not ok to make fun of someone's sensitivities in this way.
That's all I'm saying.

Who's making fun of who?..I'm trolling not making fun..little fact there for you.

This.

I'm all for jokes and the like but not being so derogative about someone's thoughts and feelings. If I had read the comment she posted and it was about me I would have been upset at my suffering being laughed at. There's a difference between 'trolling for kicks' or whatever and knowing full well you may hurt someone's feelings and not give a ****, to just tell them to toughen up, therefore de-validating their feelings even further. You may not empathise/agree with them being upset by whatever, but the fact is that they are, and you ridiculing them for that is not going to help matters, it's just letting you express anger under the banner of self-righteous intellectualised snobbery. There's honest and there's taking the piss. Find the line, you're clever enough.

Right, if i have offended anyone i'm sorry for that! i did not mean to do that, my aim was to lighten up the room a bit..
But if you were trying to be serious then this thread should not be here in general...
Anyways i'm sorry again.

It's okay it wasn't just aimed at you at all and everyone makes mistakes, I do agree also that this sort of post does not belong in general and maybe it should be made clear for new members that the place for this sort of thing is general Advice not general Chat, possibly a mod post to that effect might help matters :)

Pointing out that a comment isn't that bad isn't hurtful. Hell, I can guarantee there were a lot worse comments said, and if you put out a story in the media then you need to accept what that means and accept that both good and bad will come at you. It doesn't work only one way.

On a personal note, I did put italics in there to suggest that there was a part of it that may have been taken badly (ie, the "laughed and laughed"). The rest of it however seemed fine to me. I will say I found Mike's post in rather bad taste, but others may have found it funny.

But hey, I'm a jerk so what do I care.

Edit: Oh I see you seem to have no problem with Mike's self-confessed troll post. Just mine then?

I changed it because it was not me that posted that. Someone else was using my computer apologies. I was not offended or feeling like you where a jerk. lol

I had strong feelings about your post. Angered? no not really..

I'm going to take this bit by bit because I have a feeling I may have got your hackles up a bit.
Actually I think it can be, you saying something 'isn't that bad' is a value judgement I don't think anyone has the right to make, just because it 'isn't that bad' to you doesn't mean it isn't bad for that person.

I appreciate you being pissed off about being labelled like that however the fact that the poster re-phrased quite quickly it might have been a spur of the moment flash of temper, although I appreciate that does not excuse the original comment.

No if you read my post properly I said I didn't ONLY have a problem with his comment, I thought several on this thread were inappropriate.

oooopss. Hopefully a mod can move it. When I think of serious I think of self harm, meltdowns, and being sucidel. but maybe it dont belong here.

^ You seem a little understandably confused by the forums. There is a forum called General Support and Advice which is where this in my opinion belongs. Pm me if you want a rough guide to where to put things.

Right i'm backing out of this thread..getting a bit too annoying and serious now.

I was simply pointing out that if that is the worst of the comments then, frankly, she got off lightly. Of course, it may not have been the worst of them, we don't know. And yes, of course I'm using my own personal framework to judge the comments, don't we all? And that is especially true when coupled with the "maybe when you've experienced the same you'll feel differently" type comment.

I'm not excusing the fact that some people found the story funny, but people find humour in all sorts of things. We can't protect everyone from being offended at something. I find "emo" jokes quite funny, but I know a lot of people here baulk at the very idea of them. I found it funny earlier on today when someone fell across the stage, I'm sure that person and their family were mortified and humiliated, but I still laughed. Also, when you go looking for responses to the story, well, you're willingly walking into a minefield, unless you are very naive.

As an aside, my opinion does not just apply in this case; it goes for everyone and anyone who tried to use the media to their own advantage. It doesn't matter if that is Jordan/Katie Price, Kerry Katona, the McCanns or someone simply looking to sell a story. If you put a story out into the public domain expect it to be judged, often in the harshest way possible.

My comment was actually as a result of seeing Mike's post, but also the general atmosphere of this thread. Which I believe Harley also was trying to address in his own empathic way.

You really should not have tried that excuse. Allowing someone else to use your account is in itself more of a rule violation that flaming.

Just saying.

And what did i say? i've not said anything wrong or bad, And please if there is a problem with something i've said could you tell me or just report me?

You didn't 'say' anything, but the choice of pictures said a lot.

Believe me, feeling intensely sensitive about your appearance isn't a joke.

Guys and gals I have to say...

REMEMBER YOU'RE A WOMBLE.

Did i ever say it was a joke? I post pictures to make the thread a little happier and less serious..
Nat this is amazing! (even better on cam though)

its not..that would make me mean which Im not. However I feared you guys would thinks its just an excuse

I have been baby sitting a 12 year old, and helping my my cook thanksgiving. I been leaving this thread on while Im away from the computer so I could easily check it. I did not nesscaraly say "here log onto my account."

Mikes a nice guy/paper clip. He ment no harm even by the ugly butt face cartoons. However, he should be carefull where he post jokes. Some people on these forums are triggered easy.

I remember posting pics of people in a giant meat package covered in fake blood under a discussion about views, campains and beliefs. However someone was triggered by my pic I posted.


And now for a womble!

I, quite frankly, just didn't see the point of Mike's initial post. IMO it just didn't add anything to the thread. Lightening the mood is one thing, but firstly know your audience and secondly at least make it relevant, surely? Or did I just miss the joke?

On the topic of the rest of the thread, I think it's a valid comment to say that when you put something in the media, you're letting it be exposed whatever way it is pulled. The media isn't there to play nice, it's there to sell stories and I think it's important to realise that.

As for the thread - why can't we have serious discussions in General Chat? I'd be very, very sad if GC was full of Rainbow Room type threads - there's a time and place for them, and a few is obviously absolutely fine, but I think a thread like this is sort-of what GC is for; it's not looking for support or advice (hence why it's not in GSA?), it's just posting an experience. GC shouldn't be all spam threads - part of the brilliance of RYL and GC was that there was always a mix of casual chat and more serious (but not serious serious) discussion. General Chat certainly shouldn't be lots of random spamming with random pictures, nor should it always be jokey stuff. It's general chat, which encompasses everything.

Also, FWIW (if I haven't made enough enemies so far!) I think that it's really good to get objective opinions on the things you're experiencing. The fact is that a lot of the stuff that people on here deal with isn't well handled or normal, but it's easy to get wrapped up in this weird RYL bubble of thinking it is. It's never nice but I think it's good to be reminded that this isn't a normal way to function.

i dont see why this threa cant be in general.. from what i can gather, the poster of the threas is not asking for advice or support, meerly asking a question yo the forum.

Also, the thread trolling is not funny, and it will be made to stop. just because it is in general chat does bot mean it is open for people to start 'trolling' in it.


no wonder people despair of this place, its becoming impossible
to even have a conversation.

Sorry about my Womble comment, I was just trying to lighten the room up a little after what happened. =)

I've said sorry for my trolling and i'll say it again, i'm sorry for any offence i may have caused to the awesome people of RYL..
I'll make sure i stop or at least cut down on my trolling from now on.

Also, on the media front, I remember that when I was moderator we used to hold the floodgates back quite a lot with the requests that just weren't appropriate. Harley gets a lot of stuff himself, I'm sure, but it's worth acknowledging that this is a part of the moderator job that is often not widely appreciated!

I agree with this. It's very easy to get wrapped up in some kind of RYL bubble, whether this be trolling or other, more serious topics, such as self-harm. General Chat in an offline environment doesn't just incorporate light-hearted subjects, it often ends in discussions of quite a serious context. General Chat, I think, is a fine place for this thread to be, as long as it doesn't progress into the OP needing support, in which case it should be moved.

To the OP, I think you might be of a sensitive disposition. I am, also, so would probably have find the comment that you quoted offensive but that's my problem, I think. The "laughed and laughed" section was not what I would deem, appropriate however, the last bit said to me that they recognised that they did not understand and that it was hard for them which wasn't mean, just them speaking their mind.

I do believe that if you post something in the public domain, be that via the media or otherwise, you are going to receive criticism, which has already been mentioned in this thread. However, I do also think that, even though this is the case, that doesn't make it right and raising awareness of self-harm etc. can only be a good thing, if done correctly and, if it appears in the public domain for a while, like homosexuality and ethnicity, it will become more widely accepted and talked about and not be in the dark anymore. We've just got to go through a bit of **** to get there.