SELF-REGULATING BEHAVIOR

An important aspect to creating a safe, learning, and supportive environment is for members to self-regulate their behavior while posting or chatting on this board. Self-regulation is often difficult, but practicing controlling our own behavior helps us learn to set and respect others' boundaries. Since gossiping, bashing members, administrators, other boards, or demonstrating similar, inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated here, we included tips for you to consider before logging into or posting here.

1. Be in an adult state of mind thoughtful, kind, and supportive before logging in or posting.

2. Before beginning a new topic, consider carefully what you need from community members. State your topic clearly, including spoilers, if appropriate. Post your intention (sharing experience, asking a question, or seeking support). Then, state what you need from members. Do not include several topics in one post. Break down the topics and post them in the appropriate areas within the board. These steps will help other members respond to your posts..

3. Before responding to a post, read it a couple times and identify the important points the writer presents and determine their needs, be it support, information, validation, etc. Reply by responding directly to the member constructively and with their needs in mind. Try not to hijack posts making the post about you or changing the subject from the original topic. If you think of a subject that pertains to, but is not in answer to the original members post, begin a new thread. If something comes to mind that you would like to explore, start a new topic. All posts should be on-topic and directed to the original member's post..

4. Recognize what triggers you. Do not read posts that you know are triggering. If you feel uncomfortable, walk away from the board and take a break. If you are feeling overwhelmed with new information, give yourself time to absorb before reading further on that topic. If you become triggered or overwhelmed while chatting, leave the room immediately..

5. Agree to Disagree. We don't always agree with others' ideas, beliefs, or opinions and that is okay. When we disagree with another member's opinions, beliefs, or ideas, it is imperative that we respect and support their feelings and experiences as valid. Members may state opposite points of view by first responding with support and validation, then clearly and diplomatically presenting their opinion as their own, rather than presenting themselves as experts. Debates, arguments, etc. will not be tolerated..

6. Do not, for any reason, attempt to recruit members, either through private mail or posts for any outside organization. If you know of any organization you would like the board to promote, please submit it to a staff member for approval. Once approved, they will be added to the resource section..

7. If you receive private mail that seems intrusive, such as a member requesting personal information or unsolicited friendship, please copy the private mail and paste it to a moderators private mail to promote discussion between moderators and members concerning boundaries and safety issues. All information received and any discussions between admins and members is completely confidential..

8. Do not read private mail unless in an adult state of mind. If any private mail is addressed to a member of your system who is under the age of 18, do not read it, but immediately send a copy to a staff members' inbox..

9. Respect and support each other..

POLICIES AND GUIDELINES

All members of Dissociative Identity Disorder Support Group are expected to follow the policies and guidelines listed below. There are no exceptions. This ensures that members clearly understand what is acceptable behavior. Breaking any policy or guidelines listed below will result in administrative action.




Our guidelines focus on allowing for each person their right to respect and validation – a sense of freedom to express and at the same time have the boundaries to feel safe.

All who participate here are expected to adhere to the guidelines of the community. And, I do appreciate the continued cooperation and support that has contributed to the safe place that we now enjoy.


Making Application to Our Board

· Age: Members must be 16 years or older (body age) to participate on Ivory Garden Dissociative Identity Disorder Support Group.

· Providing information: Purposefully providing false or incomplete responses to application questions is considered deceitful behavior and leads to immediate banning of IP address, profile, and email addresses.

· Proxy Servers: All proxy server addresses are immediately banned from our community. You may pm an administrator concerning this guideline for exceptions.
General Behavior Expectations

· Respect - Defamatory, racist, hateful, pornographic, illegal or insulting content must be avoided on this forum. You must respect the fact that people may have a different opinion than you. If you are at odds with another member, you MUST bring this up with administrator.

· You must respect the moderators and administrators.

· Personal Mail - Members are expected to use the forums and/or chat to interact - NOT personal mail. This is a support community - there are no therapists, and any type of 'spam', contacting members/staff asking for personal support via personal messages is not tolerated. Please use the personal mail to interact with staff for board questions only. If you received advertising, pornographic content, a request for personal information and/or support - or insults by PM, you must send a copy of the pm to an administrator.

· Personal Responsibility – All members of your system are responsible for the actions of each other.

· Do not moderate other members. Moderating is reserved for staff members only.
· Confidentiality - Members will maintain confidentiality and will not copy, reprint, or repeat in any way what is written on Ivory Garden Dissociative Identity Disorder Support Group.

· Copying and Stealing: Copying and stealing other members' work is not allowed.



· Before you post - All members must read Self-Regulating Behavior carefully. Following this step will create for you an enjoyable and comfortable experience.

· Supervision of younger alters - If younger members are posting, an adult older than 16 years old must be present, supervise, and accept responsibility for the younger members' actions.

· Personal Responsibility - Members will make clear in posts, chat area, and private mail that what they state is their opinion while still validating others' opinions as important and significant. Debates and/or arguments posted, in private mail, or while in chat area are not allowed. This includes taking an argument about any topic to a personal level or name-calling, repeated critical and sharply negative posts or emails toward any staff or forum member. Flaming, or slanderous posts are not acceptable and grounds for immediate banning.


· Sexually oriented, gore and any other type of discussion or language is prohibited.

· Font : When you write your message, please don't abuse capitals, colors and bold.

· Remain On-topic – When posting, read the first topic in the thread. Your response should be to that person and on that topic.

· Edited Posts - When appropriate, messages may be edited. The reason for editing will be noted. This does not mean that you did something ‘wrong’.

· Moved Posts - If you don't find your topic, it may have been moved to a more appropriate place. If you are not sure how to find it, go to the "Statistics" tab of your profile. There you can do a quick search of all the posts or topics you recently made. You will find it there.

· Advertising - Advertising or recruiting is not tolerated through posting, private mail, or while in the chat area. Members are responsible also for reporting any incident where they are accessed or solicited by another member. Placing any link on a forum is considered 'advertising'. Links can be added to posts with permission of admins. Members/friends websites, blogs, etc. should not be shared in posts and/or in profiles.

· Apologies, messages, inappropriate off topic posts – Do not post on the board anything that you know should be sent to a staff member privately. This board is a place of support – Doing so is grounds for immediate banning. If you have questions regarding this, pm an administrator before posting.

· Trolling is strictly prohibited within this community.



· Avatars & Signatures - Do not use any avatars or signatures that may be triggering to folks. If asked by staff to change or remove an avatar or signature, you will do so immediately.

· About hugs/prayers - Do not offer unsolicited hugs or pr*yer in posts. Respect others' level of comfort.

· Personal Safety - Members of this board are not responsible for others' personal safety. Therefore, self-care and enforcing personal boundaries should be a priority. When reading on the board, attend to trigger warnings.

· Trigger Warnings/ Spoilers – Please use trigger warnings and spoilers as requested in each forum. No member will cue or purposefully trigger any other member.

· Clear Threats/Intentions of Hurting Self or Others – If you have a clear intention and plan to hurt yourself or others, you must leave this board and seek professional help. If you post here, your posts will be removed, and you will be advised to seek professional help. No member here has the authority to help if a member is threatening harm to self or others except to tell them to seek the attention they need. There is no one here who is qualified beyond that.

The forum administrators may edit, close or delete any posts which they consider are violations of the above guidelines without notice or explanation. We will not discuss our policies or personal information about other members on this forum. Please take any discussion or questions concerning board management to administrators through pm’s/emails.

Participation

If you decide that you do not wish to become a regular participant of this community, please let staff know. If you are not participating (posting on the board), and you have not kept in touch with staff, your membership with in the group you belong may become inactive. If this happens, you will be informed and need to contact an administrator.




In order to maintain safety and confidentiality, we reserve the right to restrict access to the community at our discretion.

Respectfully,

Felicity
Owner
IGDID Support Group






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