Off topic posts

[Victoria-NRAS]

Hi all

I am aware that the question of what to do about 'off topic' posts has cropped up again. This has been raised a number of times in the past, and you will notice that when you put a post on the site, you can pick from a list of topics, which include 'off topic'. However, as most people browse through all posts on their newsfeed, this won't stop them appearing.

The issue is basically this:

Many of you have close friends on here, and it's nice to share some 'off topic' posts with everyone, like posts about children, grandchildren, hobbies and pets etc. However, if there are a lot of off-topic posts, they can clog the newsfeed up a little, and newer members may not get a good feel for the forum's main purpose, of sharing your experiences of living with RA. Having said that, I think it's nice that people have friends on here and want to share things with them.

This is therefore just a quick post to make you aware that I am conscious of the need for balance between the on and off topic, and will look into this and feed back further down the line. In the meantime, please just be mindful that the forum's main focus is content about RA, but occasional off-topic is fine, just in moderation.

As HealthUnlocked own the forum, we are restricted in what we are able to change, but I will mention to them the idea of having a separated off-topic area and whether they choose to implement this will be based on their other priorities and whether the other forums on the platform have a similar need.

Victoria

(NRAS)

[NathanT]

Does HealthUnlocked have a ratio for “off topic” posts v’s “medical” posts that they deem acceptable.

[Victoria-NRAS Partner Moderator NRAS in reply to NathanT]

Hard to put a precise figure on it, so for the time being I think it just has to be done by common sense and self-moderation, but I have asked HealthUnlocked for their opinion and will see if they have any plans to address this.

[VeronicaF]

I feel its important to see off the topic threads, as I am fairly new, when I first came on here I thought life was over, I have a very outdoors life with little horses and I was looking as it was at an end.

seeing other people off the topic threads shows there is life despite RA.

[AgedCrone in reply to VeronicaF]

Quite agree Veronica......when I'm alone at home with my aches & pains I enjoy reading about what I might do on a good day...might even try not falling off a horse.....in my dreams anyway!

How little are your horses?

[VeronicaF in reply to AgedCrone]

oh they are good thank you agedcrone, they been in all day as we have bad rain in wales so they are a bit bored, have got to feed them their tea in min xx

[AgedCrone in reply to VeronicaF]

How many do you have? I bet they keep you busy!

[VeronicaF in reply to AgedCrone]

oh only the two, I did have big ones but they got old and died and I got old so went smaller horses :O))) they do keep me busy, they keep me moving which is good.

they are very cute and they know it :O)) I love them to bits.

[Wobblyone]

The forum certainly has changed in the last month or so. Perhaps there could be a separate area for dog pictures?

[Cheylann in reply to Wobblyone]

Totally agree as there are dog groups, flower groups and every kind of group one can join so it becomes a bit irritating when people don't use it for what it's intended but use it to chat and share with their friends when I'm trying to find out about my illness. Not being nasty but I'm not interested in people's hobbies, dogs etc but am interested in their illness. Just being honest!

[AgedCrone]

I quite like the mixture of Off Topic & RD info/Qestions.If you are really down....reading about something funny/happy/ interesting helps take my mind off my miseries.

After all we can only comment, & none of the information we post should be acted in without the sanction of our doctors.....so why not have a smile along with the serious stuff?

[Mandalou]

I have absolutely no issue with any of the off topic stuff.

I think its as important to a person with chronic illness as advice about drugs and health systems in different countries.

What I really, really don’t like and what would be enough to make me stop using Healthunlocked is when thread starters specify the type of response they require.

Its a weird sort of censorship and Ive seen it creeping in lately.

Just my HO and not meant to start vast debate.

With best wishes to all

Mx

[Mmrr]

I love the mixture off RD and off topic stuff too. If there are any posts I am not interested in , sometimes health related too ..... I just scroll past. But I accept the point that the off topics should not dominate.

[Shalf]

It's all relative to RA as I see it. Drawings, flowers, dogs, cycling and fun are difficult with joint pain/swelling and fatigue dominating one's body. It's inspiring to read that people still want to get back on that horse ( so to speak). It's courageous to display that RA isn't the end for us. To paint such talented pictures, to knit, do gardening etc and to keep a sense of humour around such a difficult disease for many is quite incredible. I have a GP and a rheumatology consultant and team who take care of me in the management of my disease. The forum connects us with others who have the disease, to share our experiences with medications/ hospitals/ diets/ exercise etc. Information, knowledge and experiences from the people who also live with the disease is invaluable but health care on a personal level should always be sought via the people who specialise in your AI disease. Most of us are aware of this. Mixed topics have many advantages to support us in body and mind through our journey. It connects us in lots of ways. For thousands of years there has been wars because we are all wired differently, our perception of things are different ( Have I just gone off topic? 🙄) We have a connection here on this forum but its important to be mindful that this is to share experiences, to inform according to one's own experience not to compare or be entirely reliant or influenced by them ( especially in the use of drugs)

I don't think any of the posts are entirely off topic. I think they are all helpful and supportive. 'Mixed RA Topics' maybe?

[VeronicaF]

I think the Snakes and Ladders thread sums it up for everyone here.

to keep strong you got to have hope and faith that things will get better again, and sometime you just need to hold on to anything to get you through it

and the off the topic threads reminds you of that.

[Victoria-NRAS Partner Moderator NRAS]

Hi Ajay

That's interesting. We don't have any set rules on the number of photos or off topic posts people put up at the moment, and part of the difficulty is that if you do one off topic post that day, other people may all do one that day as well, and it can still get a bit over-run with the off-topic. I think it probably just goes in waves, where sometimes there's a lot and sometimes not very much off topic. Some photos of course can be of swollen joints etc or just a nice photo of someone's garden, to accompany a blog-style post about their RA.

[Victoria-NRAS Partner Moderator NRAS]

Thank you for all these comments. It looks as though most people like seeing a balance between the on and off-topic, but of course the difficulty is if at times the balance is tipped towards off-topic and puts some people off, especially those who would prefer this to be separated off or not allowed on the site. I have asked the admins from the other forums for feedback on what they do and will see if we think any change is needed, but really appreciate everyone's thoughts on here.