Resolving Chat Room Conflict
The Mining Co. allows volunteers to act as chat hosts under certain circumstances. Hosts need to be motivated to maintain order in a chat room. It goes without saying that they should refrain from any kind of negative behavior toward other users. Preferably a host should have some expertise or experience in the site's topic area. This means that a good mental health host might have some training or experience in a mental health field, or might have had a mental illness or had a family member that did. This creates a bit of a dilemma. One of the things that qualifies someone to be host - a history of mental illness - may also mean that their behavior may at times not allow them to be an ideal host - if they relapse or their illness returns.
A while back a rivalry developed over who would be the host in a different Mining Co. chat room (not the Mental Health room). I’ve heard both sides of the story, and there are probably even more sides that I haven’t heard. Here’s what seems to have happened:
The room in question had several hosts, but none of them had administrative privileges (the ability to kick-out troublemakers, etc.) A host with administrative privileges was chosen, and some of the room's regulars disagreed with that choice. Other incidents may also have occurred, but some of the members who left the other room moved to the Mental Health room. Since that time a rivalry seems to have developed between the two rooms. I have had reports that people from the other room have harassed people in the Mental Health room. I have also had reports that people who now spend time in the Mental Health room have harassed people in the other room.
My response has been to spend more time in the Mental Health Chat Room, and to encourage the people who spend time there to let go of any sense of rivalry or revenge toward the other room. I have also visited the other room to ask for the cooperation of people who spend time in that room. Please use the Mental Health chat room as a place to socialize, and a place to discuss mental health issues. Please do not use it as a place to discuss things that happened in other chat rooms weeks ago.
The Mental Health Chat Room is recruiting people to act as hosts. There is room for several people to moderate the discussion at different times during the week. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, send me a description of why you want to apply and a brief resume which gives me some idea of your qualifications. You don’t need to be a mental health professional, or even a patient. If you enjoy chat and want to offer support to others, please let me know.
Here are some tips to help you have a better chat experience in Mining Co. chat rooms:
- Be sure that your browser includes Java. These rooms won't run without it.
- If you are quiet too long the software may boot you from the room. Just hit "LOGIN" again.
- To keep from being booted type a period every so often, or click on a user's nickname in the right hand column and click on USER INFO.
- If someone is harassing you, click on their name in the right hand column and click the IGNORE check box. If everybody did this people would stop harassing others.
