Beginnings, ends and beginnings again??

mishi

mishi

New member
Ok I thought I would throw this out there. I am not sure where I want to go with this but I have noticed a trend in forums of people coming and going. A lot of people I knew have left and I have no idea where they went. Some people just need breaks or need to have time offline for mental sanity but I wonder several things: 1) What reasons does a person stop posting?, 2) What makes them come back?, 3) If they don't leave what really motivates them to stick with it?, - even if they do leave do they stick with losing weight or not?, 4) Are there trends to when people join and quit? Like around January I am sure there is a flood of new members but are other months like that? Is there a pattern to when people quit (as summer progresses?) or to when they join? What holds people back and what pushes them forward?
Just some random thoughts:)
 
Interesting thoughts.

I'm not sure what dictates it. I'm sure membership fluctuates just like the weight of most dieters.

Most dieters start out strong yet fall off the wagon as things start slowing down.

And I'd imagine it's the same for the membership here. And when our members slowdown, they tend to forget about the forum.

I'd like to think some members don't fall through the cracks and feel left out. But I'm sure that happens too to less vocal individuals.
 
1) What reasons does a person stop posting?,
I've been on many many forums over the years - what makes me stop posting? boredom-- lack of new blood and being so familiar with other posters that I could write their responses for them... or the cliqueiness that develops on forums that just gets tiresome...

2) What makes them come back?,
to see if it's changed -

3) If they don't leave what really motivates them to stick with it?, - even if they do leave do they stick with losing weight or not?,
I'm here for entertainment - once it stops being entertaining for me -well - i'll reevaluate

4) Are there trends to when people join and quit?
people join in january as part of new years resolutions and the majortiy are gone in 6 weeks..
then they join again when swimsuits start to appear - and leave again in a few weeks...
 
I've been a member of forums that involved so much drama that they made soap operas look tame.

I've left b/c of that.

I'm not here or there for gossip.
 
I have heard of the drama that can go on in forums... haven't seen a lot here but I am not that involved either..
I am here mostly for accountiblity. If I feel like someone is checking up on me I do better. When I don't post it is because my weight loss is slow, or going backwards, but I am clenched teeth determined to keep it up until I get to my goal so I come back within a week. This is my first forum so most things are new to me here. Like rep's lol just learned how to give those! Plain dumb blonde works in there somehow;) ha ha ha.
 
mishi said:
I have heard of the drama that can go on in forums... haven't seen a lot here but I am not that involved either..
I am here mostly for accountiblity. If I feel like someone is checking up on me I do better. When I don't post it is because my weight loss is slow, or going backwards, but I am clenched teeth determined to keep it up until I get to my goal so I come back within a week. This is my first forum so most things are new to me here. Like rep's lol just learned how to give those! Plain dumb blonde works in there somehow;) ha ha ha.
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I think it should work the other way around.

The more trouble you are having, the more you should post. Get support. If not emotional.... definitely get some advice from people that have some experience.

Unfortunately it's when most high tail it out of here I think.
 
Most forums I've been on don't use reps because they are incredilby annoying and don't mean a whole lot of anything... I'd love for them to be scuttled here...

Drama is pretty much everywhere, and we've definitely had our share of it here not to the degree i've seen it elsewhere but it really can't be avoided -- unfortunately
 
Steve said:
The more trouble you are having, the more you should post. Get support. If not emotional.... definitely get some advice from people that have some experience.

Unfortunately it's when most high tail it out of here I think.
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Really good point... one thing I'd like to have done here - that I've done on other forums, is hve post counts hidden -so a person with 4 posts has the same virtual footing as a person with 5500 posts and they don't feel bad about asking for help... because they are new... a member is a member... some are more well known than others but it shouldn't prevent a person from asking for help
 
maleficent said:
Really good point... one thing I'd like to have done here - that I've done on other forums, is hve post counts hidden -so a person with 4 posts has the same virtual footing as a person with 5500 posts and they don't feel bad about asking for help... because they are new... a member is a member... some are more well known than others but it shouldn't prevent a person from asking for help
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I think that's a fantastic idea.

Make it happen Mal!!

I love the idea of roaming around here in stealth mode. :rotflmao:
 
I wouldn't think that there was only one reason for any of it. It is kind of a tool for me. I post what I do for my workouts and my menu becuse it make me think of what my plan is and if I am on track. And if it helps some one, well that is a bonus. I think most people like to come to the forum so that they cn share their stories with people in similar situations to their own.

Deep Thoughts By Dysart147
 
Hello Mish,
YAY you started the thread!! I tend to fall of the wagon alot BUT I still post and I also feel like I still should say HI to those that have been there for me.I feel you kind of make friends on here and feel the need to see how they are doing and it wouldn't kill anyone to stop by to SAY hi once in a while,it really does help.

Like I said people have their faves I see that alot on here so I just visit the ones that visits me I try to post in NEWB'S but usually after a post or 2 they disapear.There are like 8-0 peeps that stop by atleast once a week and I like to do the same. If on days I feel like quitting or I am getting bored with it all I still visit the ones that are there for me,Tammy
 
Steve said:
I think that's a fantastic idea.

Make it happen Mal!!

I love the idea of roaming around here in stealth mode. :rotflmao:
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took me a long time to convnce the admin of anoter board it was a good idea - and tat admin liked me :D

this will be more work :D
 
maleficent said:
took me a long time to convnce the admin of anoter board it was a good idea - and tat admin liked me :D

this will be more work :D
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I'd support you. I've been around for a year and I have almost hundreds less than people who've only been here a month. I do notice myself not making comments to people with a higher post count.

To the OP: I'm not a big poster anyways, but I tend to stop posting when school starts up and post more when there are breaks. There are a lot of people in school here that probably follow the same pattern.
 
I've made the request :) let's see how it goes :D

On another board I'm much less active on, that was politically focussed, I always had my post count and moderator status hidden - because I didn't want that to ever be a factor in a discussion... I don't think post count or rep count or a person's title really should ever factor into a discussion... but that could just be me :D
 
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good luck with the request!!! I support that idea as well.
Also you would think that when I am going through a hard time I would post more for support but I get embarrassed when it doesn't work out so well. I am more inclined to post if I am kicking booty. I do try to stay posting with people I know. The only dairy that really daunts me is Mal:) It's a good read but sometimes I just never know what to say. I don't want to ignore the conversations but sometimes saying "hi" just doesn't seem enough. Steve have to give you props for doing that. You are able to hit diaries just to say hi and that's it. Just to let people know your thinking about them:)
Maybe there should be a poll just to see what motivates people to use this site?
 
that's actually a good question mishi - I went on a rant recently about the number of drive b postings we were getting - and steve's dropping by to say hi - isn't what i would consider a drive by :) it's when the same post is copied and pasted into multiple diaries and the person doesn't take the time to read the diary that's what i find insulting..

a HI is great... and some diaries are daunting - crap i wouldn't read mine - it's a lot of garbage in there :D but a hi is always welcome - and let's a person know ou were thinkng abou tthem -

there's a lot of pain in some people's diaries and you don't always know what to say - but just a sympathetic word is often nice...
 
mishi said:
good luck with the request!!! I support that idea as well.
Also you would think that when I am going through a hard time I would post more for support but I get embarrassed when it doesn't work out so well. I am more inclined to post if I am kicking booty.
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I understand this and most people do the same....

But tripping is bound to happen with such a rough terrain this lifestyle presents.

If it were flat, it'd be boring. And expecting not to trip is setting up a psychological system geared for failure IMO.

But that's a different topic.

I just wish people would come here for real support. I know many do.... but I know others turn from this sort of *system* when they need it most.

I do try to stay posting with people I know. The only dairy that really daunts me is Mal:) It's a good read but sometimes I just never know what to say. I don't want to ignore the conversations but sometimes saying "hi" just doesn't seem enough.
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Yea, she's a scary one. I heard she bites too! :p

Steve have to give you props for doing that. You are able to hit diaries just to say hi and that's it. Just to let people know your thinking about them:)
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I wish I could read everyone's diaries daily.

But I think my presence here is better served by answering the questions I know the answer to.

And if I added daily diary visits to the my agenda, I think I'd be fired from my job, LOL.
 
I think a shower and a dinner would be a prereq. I think there was some talk about funkiness in your diary Mal and biting a funky person is just wrong.. no matter how many dinners they buy you!!! lol
 
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