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We need to create 1 unified language for our diaries

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I'm sorry if this post comes across as negative and defensive, as I realise I'm having a large number of feelings about this.

My diary isn't written for research purposes. It's written to help me cope.

My diary is my words. Words I was denied for decades. I'm saying them the way I want in my diary.

I haven't given any consent to someone reading my diary to use for their own means.

If someone wants to research something as diverse as people's diaries. Then they need to create a research method that allows for that diversity. Rather than people needing to change and adapt into a box (something I have done for far too long in my life).


So essentially a big big no from me!

What prompted this question?

Is someone taking our diaries and using them in this way?
 
I do not know about standardizing how people express their stories BUT I do like the idea of a robust search function for words. Personally I often search a word before I post just to see if anyone else mentioned it but often it is just a blah! I am not naïve enough to assume though the site is not being used for research. I mean why not? Many professionals would actually ridiculously benefit for their clients if they spend a day here!
 
Even speaking in English language there are interpretations of words geographically, demographically and personally. Communication will often reveal two people will have slightly different interpretations of a word they both understand the definition of and use correctly. Dh and I have one shared language to mother tongue standard and it never gets boring the discussions we have around definitions, etymology and usage and how our different other languages help and hinder us and shape our world view.
 
I think we need to create a (one) unfied language for our diaries
Most users on the site eventually become familiar with a common set of acronyms and abbreviations. Some remain idiosyncratic. And that is exactly how it is in the larger sphere of internet mental health discussion...An example would be, it's common to refer to Borderline Personality Disorder as BPD. And sometimes, people use BPD to abbreviate Bi-Polar Disorder...and usually, if there's confusion, someone asks for clarification.

Point being - there's already as unified of a language as there's ever going to be. And it's evolving. But if you ever encounter abbreviations that you're not familiar with, it's great to just ask someone what they mean; that's how shared forms of communication are built.

so that researches can study us
Eh, they've already got much better and more reliable science-y studies going on. What we've got here is personal narrative, and it's most useful to others who are going through the same stuff - peer support, not data gathering.
 
Most users on the site eventually become familiar with a common set of acronyms and abbreviations. Some remain idiosyncratic. And that is exactly how it is in the larger sphere of internet mental health discussion...An example would be, it's common to refer to Borderline Personality Disorder as BPD. And sometimes, people use BPD to abbreviate Bi-Polar Disorder...and usually, if there's confusion, someone asks for clarification.

Point being - there's already as unified of a language as there's ever going to be. And it's evolving. But if you ever encounter abbreviations that you're not familiar with, it's great to just ask someone what they mean; that's how shared forms of communication are built.


Eh, they've already got much better and more reliable science-y studies going on. What we've got here is personal narrative, and it's most useful to others who are going through the same stuff - peer support, not data gathering.
Aw! We need to unite to help researchers help us and help the next generation.
 
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