The anonymous function

[anonymous]

In my job, my client's anonymity is required. So if I want to discuss my client at all, or anything about work related to my PTSD, to protect my client, I use it. This way I can discuss work matters and not have to be concerned about breaking confidentiality. None the less, I still can get the help I need from other similar workers here on the forum who care to answer me and share their insights into our profession. It is so helpful also to just receive support for work related things!!! I am not really supposed to speak about my client in real life either, so this is the only place I can go to for help with my work other than my boss. I sometimes don't want to bring a concern to the boss unless I first run it by here and see if it is really an honest concern that needs my boss's attention, or is it just me being triggered or something.

 

[Abstract]

Wish I could convince myself to do that anonymous. Would love to.

 

[EveHarrington]

In my job, my client's anonymity is required. So if I want to discuss my client at all, or anything a...

You have no idea what confidentiality means. It doesn’t mean you can go online and talk about your clients as long as you don’t use your name or their name. It means you don’t talk about your clients, PERIOD!

“Confidentiality” isn’t solely a “you don’t know my name” deal. It also means you won’t share my story, my details, anything.

Professionals like you make me sick. Seriously.

 

[Abstract]

I think there are situations were this wouldn't at all be appropriate and others where it would be fine. Depending on the job/role and the detail. Not sure the situation for anonymous of course. Just saying.

 

[anonymous]

I use it a lot. I use it because I think it is safer in terms of not being identified. It is really a matter of statistics. The probability of A happening to a person might be one in ten (0.1), the probability of B, one in 100 (0.01), and the probability of C, one in 1000 (0.001). Any one of those things, could happen at random to a fairly big part of the population. The probability of A, B, AND C, happening to the same person however is one in a million (0.1 x 0.01 x 0.001). Thus, if posting as me, it feels less safe and like I would be easier to identify.

 

[Suzetig]

I also remember one of the MODs (cant remember which now) said they use it as many cant seperate MOD from poster and seeing "moderator" would influence the replies back.

That's really interesting, I don't use the anonymous feature on individual threads because I think it's important that I own my response on a thread, it feels more transparent for me and if having a staff badge attached to my name alters others responses to me then so be it. I can though see that there are times when posting the same thing anonymously may have changed they way it was received on the thread in question.

If there's something I want to distance myself from or which I need another layer of anonymity for I use the "anonymous" forums - that means that everyone who posts has the same level of anonymity. It sometimes makes discussions a bit harder to follow but we're all then on a level playing field.

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I have never posted on a anonymous thread for myself. I have noticed that some people are not as kind as they would be normally on an anonymous thread and it bothers me so as a result I rarely go into an anonymous thread anymore.

 

[anonymous]

Reasons I have used it:
I am a survivor of domestic abuse and my ex is incredibly smart at finding information online and is also able to hack into stuff etc. (so, protecting myself from ex)
I am a survivor of child sexual abuse and I don't want them finding me here
I have used it when talking about 'alternative' therapies because people have bad reactions to that topic sometimes and I don't want to be viewed as some 'new age loony' (even though that's not what I am and I know VERY well the benefits of 'alternative' therapy)
I am anti - psychiatry, again, don't want people judging on that
I also wanted to say something to someone once who was clearly having like psychotic episodes or something and couldn't see their own faults with interacting with folk and I didn't want the person attacking me elsewhere on forum just for pointing out to her that her behaviour to others was inappropriate

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I didn't want the person attacking me elsewhere on forum just for pointing out to her that her behaviour to others was inappropriate

Were you really afraid that this would happen and has it happened yet?

 

[anonymous]

Yes but I knew already based on her posts how she may react to the truth.. they were all jumbled and full of cursing and hatred and yes she has made inappropriate comments to people since that time, including at a moderator and has been temp banned in the past.

 

[anonymous]

I don't want to look dumb or be called out for being clueless in front of everybody. It seems to happen a good bit.

 

[Suzetig]

S

It doesn’t mean you can go online and talk about your clients as long as you don’t use your name or their name. It means you don’t talk about your clients, PERIOD!

Not necessarily. For example, if someone was a home carer for older people it would be entirely inappropriate to come online and say "I'm working with someone who lives in X town, recently lost their husband and has Y medical condition which means she needs personal help with toiletting. Genitalia are a huge trigger for me and I wouldn't have taken the job but now I'm stuck with it". Too many potentially identifying details and not enough empathy or respect for the client.

On the other hand saying something like "one of my clients circumstances have changed and she needs a form of care that's really triggering for me - how would you deal with it?" is totally different. Still talking about client work but in very general terms and I can see how posting something like that anonymously might provide another layer of distance which would protect the poster and their client further. The poster may not want to talk to their manager about specific triggers or PTSD reactions but could get support here.