Question:
I understand you were trying to let those of us here on asd know there is another website where specific topics can be addressed, but in future I think we here, at least I know *I* would, appreciate if you wouldn’t put in triggering headings like the one above. We use a lot of ***’s and things like that in words around here, and it may seem silly to you,but it helps some of us block out some of the harmful effects those words can have. So please next time, if you feel the need to let us know about your very worthy support group, please be a little more sensitive to the phrasing that is used, and also please use spoilers. The heading would have gone down much smoother if it looked more like this: s*lf-*nj*ry(c*tt*ng, b*rn*ng, ha*r-p*ulling, etc.) It may seem like a little thing to you, but to some of us, it’s a very big deal. Thank you. And thanks for letting us know about the newsgroup. Unfortunately, I’m betting a lot of people who may need it, won’t get there because they were unable to read the post. ME
Response:
this is a periodic post about the bodies-under-siege mailing list and the self-injury web page associated with it. the page offers information from books, journals, magazines, hospitals, and personal stories from self=injurers about what si is, why people do it, how it starts, who does it, diagnoses used when si is present, treatment options, self-help tips, and other information. there’s an extensive list of references consulted in the making of the page, a related trauma/ptsd faq, the bus faq, and a record of updates as well. it’s located at: http://www.palace.net/~llama/psych/injury.html (i’ve done a few things with filenames and symbolic links, so it can also be reached at http://www.palace.net/~llama/psych or http://www.palace.net/~llama/selfinjury ) bodies-under siege, the email support group for those who si and their loved ones, will be 1 year old on 18 april 97. the list addresses the concerns, fears, hopes, and needs of those who have or have had a problem with si. the following is the official bus faq: bodies-under-siege FAQ This is the welcome file for the bodies-under-siege mailing list. To line of "subscribe." To unsubscribe, send mail to that address with a The mailing list gave birth to a passworded irc undernet channel for people to get support and contact with others when they need someone to talk to. Welcome to bus! You’ve joined a unique online support group, and you might have some questions. This letter is meant to answer the most common ones. 1. What _is_ bus? The acronym bus stands for bodies under siege, which in turn is the title of one of the earliest books about self-injury to really take it seriously. The list itself was originally conceived as a safe place for people concerned with self-injury to speak the unspeakable. In a world where we’re treated like freaks or outcasts as soon as anyone learns about our problem, bus stands as a place to find relief, support, and understanding. It’s also evolved into a place for people to share tips about and work together toward recovery. 2. Do I have to cut {burn, hit, pick at scabs, break bones, etc} myself to be on bus? No. Anyone with an interest in self-injury is welcome. In fact, friends and loved ones of those who injure themselves are particularly welcome, because the more people in a self-injurer’s life who know and understand what’s going on, the easier it is for that person to work toward recovery. 3. What kinds of people are on a list like this? We range in age from 14 to 50+. We are professionals, engineers, teachers, parents, blue collar workers, nurses, counselors, unemployed, students… we’re diverse to the point of defying description. 4. What are the rules? There are only two rules on bus: 1. No crossposting (this is to prevent flamewars and to protect the privacy of subscribers); and 2. No flaming or personal attacks. You can disagree with a person’s beliefs without disagreeing with their right to have them. _Please_ realize that self-injury is a sensitive topic and many people are not "out" about it. On bus, we respect the right of others to decide whom they will tell what about their lives. 5. What’s all this recovery stuff about? The philosophy of bus is that, for reasons of biology and upbringing in invalidating environments, some people have a hard time validating themselves. Instead, they’ve learned that self-injury makes them feel better. It’s the ultimate self-invalidation, and it expresses rage, disgust, sorrow, pain… so many things to so many people. One of the goals of bus is to help and support people who feel ready to stop. To this end, information about techniques for stopping, techniques for "retraining" your brain to respond differently in crisis situations, and information about how to find help are often posted to the list. 6. Does this mean that I don’t belong if I’m not ready to stop? Not at all. We recognize that some people aren’t yet ready to let go of self-injury as a coping mechanism, and we as a group are as supportive of them as we are of those who are trying to stop. bus is a place where you can say anything, express the pain you’ve kept bottled up for years, purge yourself — it’s just that one of its main foci is on recovery. But recovery shouldn’t, and _doesn’t_, come at the expense of those who are not quite ready to commit to stopping. And for some people, three days without self-harm is as hard as three months for others. bus is about encouragement and respecting limits. 7. What is a spoiler and when should I use one? A spoiler is a warning in the subject line that the material posted is intense or graphic and might trigger some people — that is, increase their desire to self-harm. Use your own judgment in deciding whether to use spoilers and whether to heed them. I ignore them because I am working toward living in the real world, and things there aren’t spoilered for my convenience. If you’re feeling fragile, though, you might want to skip spoilered items. 8. What are all these acronyms??!? Hey, man, they make us feel like a cabal. Of course, there is no cabal (grin). But seriously, people do tend to refer to things in shorthand. Here are a few of the most common terms: DID — dissociative identity disorder. Used to be called MPD, for multiple personality disorder. People with DID refer to the facets of themselves that sometimes take over for a while as "alters". BPD — borderline personality disorder, a very controversial diagnosis. See my web page or any of the various excellent pages on the topic for more details. SIB — Self-injurious behavior. Bipolar — bipolar depressive disorder, also known as manic depression. Major depression without mania is sometimes called "unipolar." DDNOS — dissociative disorder not otherwise specified; a diagnosis for people who dissociate in stressful situations but not to the point where they experience themselves as other people. OCD — obsessive-compulsive disorder; just what it sounds like. PTSD and CPTSD — post-traumatic stress disorder and a new concept, Judith Herman’s complex PTSD (resulting from prolonged trauma). 9. What is the proper term for hurting yourself? There isn’t one. You’ll find it called all sorts of things — parasuicide, self-mutilation, self-abuse, self-destructive behavior… most people on bus call it self-injury or sib because those are less blaming terms. 11. Speaking of DID, can alters post? Sure, so long as they respect the rules and the personhood of others on the list. We have yet to have any problems caused by someone posting when an alter is in control. 10. What’s the incentive program? You set a goal. At 30, 60, and 100 days of no-injury, I’ll send you tokens. Right now 30 days is a print, 60 is a book, and 100 is a medicine bag. The whole thing works on the honor system. Tammy dates of bus members. She also maintains a list of home pages for those who are willing to give theirs out. 11. I heard people can call you if they’re crashing. Is this true? Yes. If I’m not online or out, I try to remember to have the call-forwarding to my voice mail off, and I’ll take calls from people from the list no matter what time of night or day. Because of the way my phone service is set up, though, I can’t make long distance calls or take collect calls. Tammy has also offered this service, under pretty much the same terms. Please realize, though, that I’m human and have bad days just like you. I can’t guarantee how helpful I’ll be, but I do have suicide/crisis intervention training. 12. Who are you to be offering this? Good question. I have extensive training and experience as a crisis hotline counselor, as well as a B.S. in psychology. Tammy is an RN. I can be reached at 206 624 4293. If it’s really urgent and you _need_ to talk to me, you can call the front desk where I live and ask them to buzz my room (#616). That number is 206 467 1878, and there’s someone at the desk 24-7. Just tell them it’s an emergency and to buzz me and tell me someone needs to call. I hope this answers most of your questions about bus, and I hope you find some of what you need here. bus is a very loving and supportive community, and when you’re ready to delurk and introduce yourself, you’ll be surprised at the warm reception you receive. deb martinson bus admin
If you like this post and would like to receive updates from this blog, please subscribe our feed.