Attention Prayer Room

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Now I'm no mod nor is this really a major problem as of now, but this is just more of a heads up, as I fear that this may end up occurring. I'd like to remind people that this is the prayer thread, not the counseling thread. As such, it's best that members avoid from playing as "therapist" or "psychologist" for a multitude of reasons. Giving sound advice and wisdom is one thing, but trying to help someone fix their problems at a deeper and more "psychoanalytical" level can be very dangerous. In fact, it probably wouldn't even be wise to do so even if you held a Ph.D in Psychology or something.

Not that anybody is guilty of this, but do make sure that you don't tread into those boundaries (myself included). It may be tempting, but none of us here are professionals.

[K. Ayato]

Hooah! Way to go, Ryan! Mods, please sticky this.

[animewarrior]

I see your point. ^^ I guess I just pray for ppl and give them suggestions such as seeking consueling if needed. noted.

[Kunoichi]

Thank you for putting this...I'm prolly guilty of this but I try to offer my experience if i can but your right about it being potentially dangerous because it is

*hugs

[Tsukuyomi]

Off Topic: Your avy screams out Goof-Off to me (no matter how serious the subject) xD;

*Raises Hand* I'm so guilty of this.. (lol) >_>;

[Mr. SmartyPants]

I don't think many of you are as guilty of this as you think you are. XD

[minakichan]

Hey, no fair. Just because I don't have a Ph.D doesn't mean I can't psychoanalyze!

I have an innate talent for it that surpasses the limits of mere education.

Mr. SP, your user icon clearly shows the distortion in your psyche. The squareness of the face represents your inflexible and stubborn nature, the primate-like proportions suggest that you feel uncomfortable and threatened in formal society, while the long hair shows that you face ambiguity about your gender identity.

Don't even get me started on the fact that you put your location as Maryland-slash-Florida.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

lololol

This is why you should not go into Psychology. =p

[Radical Dreamer]

Thread stickied!

[SnEptUne]

Psychology is a board topic, having a Ph.D is psychology doesn't mean you will be good at analyzing people's mental states, that's a very specific application field.

Anyway, it is indeed dangerous to pretend to be a psychiatrist which delays patients from getting proper help, but in my opinion, psychiatrist's value often does not coincide with Christian teaching, which is the real danger. Therefore, I think it is important to give advice by bible's teaching, and quote from the bible if necessary.

This is a prayer room, but there is more to prayer than just the knowledge that someone will pray for you. In real life, we pray together and listen other's prayer which gives guidance and insight into the problem at hands.

So please encourage others to give advice and bible verse if it will be good for the well-being of the poster, and please do define what is 'psychoanalytical' level so that people wouldn't avoid giving any advices all together.

[Nate]

psychiatrist's value often does not coincide with Christian teaching, which is the real danger.

Some people believe that medicine, even aspirin, does not coincide with Christian teaching.

That's why there was no reason to bring that up in this thread, because turning it into a debate about whether psychology is right and wrong would just get nasty, and the point wasn't about what advice is "right" to give, but rather that the people who would give it probably wouldn't have the credentials to do it. Same as if someone posted that they were feeling sick and I said "You totally have leukemia!" I'm not a doctor and I can't make that diagnosis. The same applies to psychology/psychiatry.

[Choko]

That is an easy line to cross. Good point made.

[ABlipinTime]

Hm... If you really want to offer helpful advice, whether it be simply "pray about it" or "go tell the cops" (for whatever reason), then PMing is the best option, no? i.e. Don't post anything in a thread where others can read it and offer better advice resulting in complete confusion and chaos on the mind of the OP (assuming they reread the thread, which most of them do, I imagine). No?
X|

[seaglass27]

When I read the posts in a prayer thread made by me I like to see more than a bunch of "Praying! "s. Advice is greatly appreciated in hard times. I know.

Requiring that advice be sent via PM won't solve anything, as conflicting advice in PMs is just as confusing as conflicting advice in a thread.

Now if we are talking actual psychological analyses rather than mere advice, that may be a different story.

[mechana2015]

OJ, this is about psychological advice. Like with medical advice, we prefer diagnostic and theraputic activity be kept to people who've actually studied and been certified in their fields, rather than just armchair psychologists, and that activity be performed in person in a thereputic session.

For clarity: Advice is fine, telling someone you think they have, or attempting to diagnose: ADD, ASD, MPD, Clinical Depression, OCD or anything else like that is not fine.

False or misinformed diagnosis, which is what you will most likely get through trying to figure it out through a computer connection, will most likely do more harm than good, and even if a diagnosis or suggestion is correct, CAA and the people on it are not equipped to provide the necessary support that should accompany any such clinical activity.

Even our members with degrees in psychology or medicine are typically not comfortable performing this sort of analysis or diagnosis over the internet and you will usually see recommendations to get professional, real life advice very quickly from those users, and we expect the untrained to act with much more restraint.

[seaglass27]

Oh, okay thanks. That was somewhat ambiguous (at least to my little brain ).