Like a lot of things
Blogger reflects lifeMany many different communities All formed by the labels that have been given to usAnorectic BulimicBPDEDNOSAnxiety Depression OCDTrichotillimania SchizophrenicFashionista Lifestyle bloggerMake up Kids Pets Blogger has space for all of usAnd our little corner of bloggerIs where we have all gatheredTo support each other To get support To connect with others like us To identify To help each other get through the daily grind that is mental illness Even though it seems blogger has gone out of fashionWe still meet Every single day To read To write To not feel so alone It's an enormous part of our lives
Blogger also reflects lifeIn that people come and go all the time In my life There has been a revolving door of people in and out for as long as I can remember Blogger is no different I guess I am thinking about this As I am coming up on 4 years bloggingAnd it's human to look back and reflect
When I first started blogging Back in 2012 There was a buzzing and thriving communityIt was amazing to be part of this exciting movement Every day There was a large number of blogs to read It was both terrifying and thrilling to witness Sad that this community was neededYet so grateful to have the support I have met the most amazing people through my blogAnd reading other blogs The best of friends Some of you have been there from the start Some of you are newer to bloggerBut the amazing thing isEveryone is welcome There is space And a place for us allBut of course Many have come and gone over the years Often with out reason or explanation The odd person might explain their reasons for leaving Maybe they are recovering And need to move onSome feel the community is no longer healthy or helpful More often than notThey just vanish off the face of the blogosphere Never to be heard from again
Two fellow bloggers who I befriended over the years And became very close to Have since left the blogosphere Deleted their blogs And don't reply to my messages anymore The first person in question Had been part of the ED blogging world for a time But had then 'recovered' And leftShe still blogged But nothing to do with ED We were closer than closeWe texted every dayShe was a great supportBut we disagreed over one fundamental issue She maintained that the ED community here on blogger was unhealthy She dismissed our comments on each other's blogs as sentimental drivel She urged me time and time again to leave Or at least branch out a little Not inspite of her honestyI loved her because of her honesty As a lot of the time She made good points But alas We got in to a nasty argument And haven't spoken since I have since found out that she wasn't in recovery at allShe was severely underweightAnd her life was crumbling around her ears I dont know how she is now I don't know if she is okIf she's blogging If she's even alive I regret the argument we had We both said things we didn't mean I'd love to know how she is
The other girl was a similar story We became very close Very quickly In constant contactBut againWe came to an impass And she fell of the face of the earth I still feel the loss of both friends There is a hole in my life that they once filled But that's life I guessNot just life here on blogger People come and goNothing lasts forever
I have been thinking though Is this the reason that so many have left blogger?Because they have found it to be unheAlthy? Is it unhealthy?Are we deluding ourselves that what we have here is beneficial?I worry about that I worry that we are enabling each otherBecause of someone doesn't want to get wellWe don't question that Of course that is supporting a choice someone makes But is it also supporting the illness?
I guess like everything in lifeThere are positives and negatives to blogging And there have been many times over the yearsThat I have weighed up blogging And whether it does more bad than good But I have always come to the conclusionThat the positive outweighs the negative My blog has saved my life many times The support and love and well wishes I have received had been overwhelming at times Blogging has helped me find a love of writing It has opened up many doorsWith amazing people and experiences I wouldn't trade it for all the tea in China
With all that said I was wondering about you Do you think ED blogging is healthy or unhealthy?Do you think the pros out weigh the cons?What do you get out of blogging? How long have you been blogging?Inquiring minds want to know....