Back for t hird round, by popular demand.

Does this site work?

This is supposed to be a….

You're supposed to do…

I've been around for a couple of months now, and these things keep coming up. Does this site work? Well, the lag monster comes around quite a bit. And between seven and nine in the morning the darn thing seems to pack it in completely.

Alright, that's not what folks are asking. But I'm continually amazed by the two mindsets represented by the statements above. I'm especially amazed when a new member has already decided what the site is supposed to be, before they've taken the time to look around and find out what it is. Closing your eyes while driving is a good way to get injured.

I absolutely know I don't speak for the whole community here, and definitely not for webtribes but I feel that what you should expect to find is summarized in the sentence "DepressionTribe offers members a convenient and safe place for individuals with similar challenges to connect." That's it. It's not a cure. Nor is it a workgroup. No individual or group of members here is required to do or be more than a depressive interested in connecting with others in a safe manner. It's nothing more than a social network. It's not therapy, though it can be therapeutic. It's not a cure, though you may find tips and support here that can help you find your own. There are no paid professionals here who are required to focus on you, and only you.

It is, however, a community. It's a good idea to treat the people you find here the same way you treat folks at a dinner party. Courtesy, honor and compassion go a long way. Don't criticize the food, decor or the guests the minute you walk in. If you find yourself within the radius of the rude jerk, ignore what he says and move along to a more pleasant or interesting companion. If the jerk is out of control, ask the host to intervene. And just as you leave the party if the cocaine comes out, it's a good idea to click the 'x' box if the folks you find are not healthful for you at the moment. Don't expect that everyone is going to focus only on you, whether that would be helpful to you or not.

If you keep your head about you, there are some wonderful things that can happen. You might make a friend…or twenty. You might discover some new things about yourself. You might learn some things that can help you on your journey. You could possibly even find some fun…and it seems to me like that might be a rare jewel in our lives as we combat this cruddy condition.