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Each member is responsible to know and follow the Policies & Guidelines:
No free advertising of any kind is allowed. Our paying advertisers support your FREE access to the forum.
Messages that, in the sole discretion of moderators, promote, advertise, offer free trials, or solicit/offer off-board contact in regard to, but not limited to, websites, businesses, products or services, whether or not you personally benefit, may be considered free advertising.
Members that disregard the Board Guidelines will not be issued warnings.
They will receive a one week ban, during which time they are expected to
carefully review and be ready to follow the Board Guidelines they had
agreed to when accepting membership. Any questions about bannings are
to be emailed to the first moderator listed on that board. Email any
moderator by clicking on the moderator username listed to the left top of
any board.
(please read Share Information Within Guidelines)
HealthBoards is a moderated Peer Support Community.
All posts (or emails to moderators) that are deemed to be abusive, defaming, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, libelous, threatening, unsafe, invasive of privacy, inaccurate, or violates any law will be deleted from the boards and/or may lead to loss of website use. Members should alert the board moderator of board concerns or abuse, by clicking on the first moderator name found on the top left of each board's topic list. Provide the exact username, board name, and the URL of the page, to only one moderator, by email only, not on the boards, to report board concerns and abuses.
(Moderators do not offer health advice or health information by email. Please post on the appropriate message board and/or see your healthcare professional.)
Reach Out Before You Feel Alone (or If You Are Suicidal)
With HealthBoards.com, you never have to feel alone. Get connected and reach out for others' understanding and support. If loneliness has already set in ... reach out and help someone else... or reach out and ask for help.
If you have thoughts of suicide, immediately call 911 if in America, or call a hospital, or call local police for emergency help.
Please feel free to talk about your depression, and let members here encourage you or help you with solutions to problems.
But, the boards are NOT an appropriate place for threats to commit suicide, hurt others, or to hurt yourself.
Such posts will be removed. They are inappropriate here.
If you are suicidal, contact a professional suicide counselor immediately. Please don't try to go it alone.
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Use Good Personal Judgment
First and foremost, NEVER rely on information or member opinions in posts to replace necessary, personal consultation(s) with qualified health or medical professionals. This forum is for support, empowerment, sharing opinions and entertainment. Healthboards.com is not a professional advice forum, and no one should use it as such.
Also, remember that what's right or has worked for one person may not be what's right for you. Your personal set of circumstances will always influence what's best or right for you. Talk with your physician or personal health professional about the benefits, risks and costs of various options and alternatives in order to make an informed, confident personal choice. [up]
Keep Personal Information Personal
Do not post your real name, email, home address or telephone number on the public message boards. This forum is for the purpose of on-board sharing only. Please keep personal information personal, and remind your children to do so, too. Posting the age of young people is not safe, so please do not do it. Remember that anything on the Internet may may circulate on the Internet for years and be accessed by anyone using a search engine. The World Wide Internet truly is open to the world.
Similarly, do not ask for personal information from others. Posts that request anyone to submit personal information or off-board contact information will be removed and may lead to banning. This includes, but is not limited to, communications that ask for personal information submitted via your personal profile, posts, e-mail, mail, telephone, surveys, polls, and research studies.
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Share Information Within the Guidelines
You may always name products or services and tell your opinions about them. Naming doctors/cities/states is OK, just do not post any off-board contact information; again, on-board sharing only. If it is inappropriate for the open forum, it doesn't need to be shared from this website. Messages that break any law are inappropriate and will be removed.
Information-only websites, such as .gov, always are welcome. The informational.edu and other strictly informational websites are fine, but if any is primarily for message forums/chats, then it may not be posted unless pre-approved. Promoting websites that have or link to message boards/chats is not permitted on the boards. You may request pre-approval of a website by the Administrator,
. Appeals will be considered, but the final decision must be respected.
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Don't Be Afraid To Post
If you're new to our community, taking the step for the first time to post publicly to a message board can sometimes seem intimidating. Don't be afraid to jump into a discussion. We have a very supportive community that serves up heavy doses of support, encouragement and enthusiasm. We love meeting new people and being friendly. While we hope that you'll become an active participant and join in our discussions, you're welcome, of course, to simply hang out silently until you feel more comfortable posting a message.
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Get Loose, Get Serious, Be Yourself
Be yourself! There are no community rules about how best to get in touch with yourself or with others (as long as your
communications are within the HealthBoards.com's Policies & Guidelines). If you feel like getting loose: get loose. If you feel like being serious: be serious. Share your tears, fears and laughter. This is the key to connecting with others who understand it is OK to just be yourself.
If you're feeling alone or hurting, don't be afraid to share. If you're rejoicing about the results of a recent medical test or treatment, share that too. If something funny happened to you today that can help lighten others' hearts, we want to hear about it so that we can laugh too. Sharing who you are is considered healthy medicine in HealthBoards.com.
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Agree to Disagree
Do not attack each other. Negative communications, especially those aimed at sexual orientation, gender, race, color, religious views, national origin, or DISABILITY -- will not be permitted. BEFORE you post a message that is intended to embarrass, humiliate or harass another person or group of people, stop and THINK first! Harassing communications is deemed as any words that may cause distress, embarrassment, unwanted attention or other discomfort. [up]
Please remember to agree to disagree. What is good for one may very well not be the answer for another. Please stay on-topic, which is SUPPORTING OTHERS, in their health decisions for themselves. Providing your opinion should not result in disparaging remarks or religious discussions, or one-upsmanship over who has the most education. NO one is an expert on what is appropriate for someone else. Both medical and alternative solution opinions belong on the boards. Even if you disagree with an idea, it still may be the solution for others. Decisions about health and well-being are highly personal, individual choices. If you disagree with a person's post or opinion state your opinion, then move on before making it an argument. Agree to disagree, agreeably. If a member asks for support only, please respect the request; do not reply with contradictory comments.
SHOUT & let it out, But don't shout at one another. Shouting online (typing in all capital letters LIKE THIS) is considered by some to be rude and difficult to read. To others, especially individuals with some types of disabilities, typing in all caps (or in all lower case) is a necessity. (Using the shift key can be a struggle for a lot of folks.) If it is necessary for you to use all caps be sure to inform others so they understand.
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Welcome Newcomers
When newcomers arrive, say "hi" and welcome them to our growing community. Help new folks "learn the ropes" about how to find information and resources, save time, and how to get involved.
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Keep Your Posts Clean
There may be places where explicit, obscene or vulgar language, graphics or behavior is appropriate: But HealthBoards.com is not one of them. Message board posts that contain explicit, sexual, obscene or vulgar language will be removed. Similarly, any message board posts that solicit or offer explicit or X-rated GIFs, JPEGs or other graphic files will be deleted without notice!
Usernames with sexual implication/content will be banned.
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Don't Post Other's Copyrighted Information
Information copyrighted or owned by any individual or entity other than the person posting should not be posted on the message
boards or software libraries without the consent of the owner. If such an event occurs, the individual posting the information shall
be held solely responsible. HealthBoards.com shall not be held responsible for posted information that may violate copyright law. Such posts will be removed as soon as possible.
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Be Courteous: Avoid Duplicate Posts
Do not post the same message more than once on a message board. Duplicate messages can be frustrating for other visitors, especially for those whose time and energy is valuable. Remember that many participants in our community are in pain or have a DISABILITY. Weeding through the same message in multiple locations can be not only frustrating, but down right annoying. Duplicate messages will be deleted as soon as possible.
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Additionally
This website is private property, and its use is a privilege, not a right. HealthBoards.com reserves the right to prohibit or remove any post (copy any posts you wish to keep). Administration may organize topical boards and/or to deny or revoke membership for any reason. Such decisions will be made by moderators, under the guidance of the Administrator, moderator1. Clarification of guidelines will be made when requested of moderator1, by email.
HealthBoards.com also reserves the right to prohibit or delete messages that are thought to violate applicable law or that may be deemed harmful to others. That said, HealthBoards.com does not have the practical ability to restrict conduct or communications that might violate HealthBoards.com guidelines prior to transmission on the Internet, nor can they ensure prompt removal of offending message board posts.
Use of healthboards.com constitutes acceptance of the Policies, Guidelines, Disclaimer, and any administrative instructions, whether by email or post on the boards.
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This is a moderated message board. You are responsible to know and follow all rules and/or Administrative/moderator instructions. No Free Advertising Of Any Kind Is Allowed. Our paying advertisers help support your FREE MEMBERSHIP to HeathBoards. Messages that ask for or offer off-board contact, or promote websites, products, businesses, or services, whether or not you personally benefit, are considered free advertising and will not be tolerated. Posts known to be inaccurate, abusive, defaming, vulgar, hateful, unsafe, harassing, obscene, profane, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, or otherwise violates any law will be deleted and/or may lead to loss of website use.
Please note the following disclaimer as to the message board postings, and web links found in HealthBoards.com:
- Neither HealthBoards.com nor any HealthBoards.com agents or representatives make any representations with respect to the contents hereof and specifically disclaim any implied or express warrants of merchantability or fitness for any particular usage, application or purpose.
- Members are responsible to know and follow HealthBoards.com's Message Board Policies and Guidelines
. Placements on the message boards -- including, but not limited to websites, information, commentaries, materials, products and services -- that, in the sole judgment of HealthBoards.com appear to violate the Policies & Guidelines of HealthBoards.com shall be removed and members may be banned for board abuse entirely at the Administrator or moderator's discretion.
- The message boards are for entertainment, sharing and for peer support purposes only. Information included in a message board should not replace necessary medical consultations with a qualified health or professional to meet your individual health or medical needs, or those of your loved ones.
- The information provided in HealthBoards.com is with the understanding that HealthBoards.com is not engaged in rendering professional medical services or advice.
- HealthBoards.com does not verify the information placed on any message board in HealthBoards.com and, therefore, cannot judge the merits or lack thereof, of any offering, information, suggestions, ideas, opinions or advice.
- HealthBoards.com will not knowingly allow material related to the sale or exchange of health or medical services or products to be communicated on the message boards. This includes but is not limited to information, commentaries, materials, surveys, products and services that, in the sole judgment of HealthBoards.com appear to violate HealthBoards.com's Guidelines.
- Material placed in HealthBoards.com does not necessarily reflect the views of HealthBoards.com
- Materials copyrighted by HealthBoards.com may be downloaded by consumers for personal use, only. Permission to otherwise reprint or electronically reproduce any document in part or in its entirety is expressly prohibited, unless prior written consent is obtained from HealthBoards.
- The compilation of information in HealthBoards.com, including the design and organization of the database and forums, is copyrighted by HealthBoards.com and may not be reprinted nor electronically reproduced.
- HealthBoards.com shall have the right to use questions, comments and postings submitted by members in articles, commentaries or other materials both online and offline. No compensation shall be earned, due, or payable for such use. All posts become the property of healthboards.com, to be removed, altered, and/or used.
- Information copyrighted or owned by any individual or entity other than the person posting shall not be posted in the messages boards (nor software libraries, if applicable) without the consent of the owner. If such an event occurs, the individual posting the information shall be held solely responsible. HealthBoards.com shall not be held responsible for posted information that may violate copyright law. Persons posting messages are personally responsible for securing appropriate consent forms from copyright owners, prior to the posting of or uploading of copyrighted information, documents or software.
- By accessing HealthBoards.com, you agree to hold HealthBoards.com, its assignees, licensees, owners, officers and directors harmless from any loss, claim or damage arising from your use of any of the information and ideas contained on the site, including following suggestions or advice posted on the message boards.
HealthBoards.com has created this privacy statement in order to demonstrate our firm commitment to privacy. The following discloses our information gathering and dissemination practices.
This site provides the option of subscribing to opt-in (permission based) email lists, managed by PostMasterDirect.com. These lists provide offers for new products and services related to your areas of interest. If you signed up for lists and would like to unsubscribe (opt-out), you can easily do so by forwarding any email you receive to deleteall@postmasterdirect.com. If you have problems, contact us immediately.
We use your IP address to identify any contributions you make to the site, such as messages, and to help diagnose problems with our server and to administer our Web site.
Public Forums
Our message board requires registration for posting and replying to the forums. Registration ask for contact information (like their email address) and demographic information (like their zip code, year born, or occupation). The contact information is use for internal email announcements regarding our site. The demographic information is optional. The demographic information is used to generate statistics, which are used internally to better understand our user base and needs. Please remember that any information that is disclosed in these areas becomes public information and you should exercise caution when deciding to disclose your personal information or email address.
Security
This site has security measures in place to protect the loss, misuse and alteration of the information under our control. This site maintains a dedicated server with restricted access only to authorized user accounts.
Contacting the Web Site
If you have any questions about this privacy statement, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this Web site, you can contact
. We consider privacy issues to be a top priority; we will respond to all questions immediately.
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