This is simply a repeat of the Forum Guidelines that you will already have read, but just in case you missed it:...

Hello and Welcome to Bipolar Haven.

The aim of these boards is to provide a friendly, supportive and caring place where you can come to find out more about Bipolar Disorder (otherwise known as Manic Depression) and / or to make friends, meet other people in the same position as yourself and generally join a family away from family.

If you are looking for advice and support, then fire away and ask all you want. But please remember that no one on this board is a professional medic of any kind and we are unable to give specific medical advice. Suggestions may be made; links may be given to other sites; but most importantly we will encourage you to go to your doctor for specific medical stuff. We cannot advise on medication changes: members can state what works for them or for people they know; we can all give suggestions, but when it comes down to brass tacks you must NEVER TAKE ADVICE FROM THIS BOARD TO CHANGE YOUR MEDICATION OR ASSUME A DIAGNOSIS WITHOUT ADVICE FROM YOUR DOCTOR. I cannot stress this too much. I know from bitter experience, that for 'doctor' you cannot read 'God'. But if you believe one thing and your doctor another, then we cannot take your side against your doctor, we can only recommend that you find a different doctor whom you trust. NONE OF US ARE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AND NONE OF US ARE QUALIFIED IN ANY WAY TO GIVE MEDICAL ADVICE. I'm good at repeating myself, but it cannot be made clear enough.

You need never feel any obligation to return support if you do not feel up to it, although, of course, if no one did, there would be no forum. So to those of you who are well enough to help others, we welcome and value your input.

Remember that this board is open to members of all ages and anyone who uses bad language, or engages in other discussions that you would not want your own young children to read will be asked to think before they post next time, and if they persist then they will be banned. Not temporarily but permanently. There will be no exceptions to this. Personal attacks on other members are absolutely forbidden and will result in an instant ban. This will remain a friendly site and I intend to be a bit of a dragon to keep it so.

There are two forums where you may post controversial material: The Scary Place, and the Manic Exuberance forums. In The Scary Place forum these may be topics that could trigger other people (subjects such as suicide and self harm, for instance, even if it is a news story and not personal), and the Manic Exuberance forum for those who need a place to let out their energy. Please make sure that such subjects remain in the right places so that people who do not wish to view them are not snuck up on in what should be a nice comfy place. The bad language and personal attack rules still apply in these two forums.

Personal Messages (Otherwise known as PMs): The PM system is available for people to get to know each other better in privacy, it is a useful resource to many people BUT: Under no circumstances may anyone use the PM system to send abusive, threatening or otherwise offensive posts to any other member of the board. Nor may anyone use the Bipolar Haven supported email service for similar uses. If you receive a PM that you consider to be offensive, then you MUST forward it to Margi at Admin UNANSWERED. DO NOT GET INTO A SLANGING MATCH WITH ANOTHER MEMBER, the sender of the abusive message will be disciplined by admin, there is no need for members to feel they have to handle these things on their own. It is imperative that the Haven be kept as a safe place for those who need it. Anyone who sends abusive PMs will be have their accounts deleted instantly, but I will not do that on hearsay, only if you forward the offending PM as proof of its existence. If an abusive message appears to be in answer to an abusive message from another member, then I will insist on seeing the message that is being answered also.

These rules may sound draconian, but at risk of repeating myself, I have called this forum Bipolar HAVEN, and a haven it will remain. Trolls and abusers are not welcome, manic or not

OK, lecture over. Welcome once again to Bipolar Haven and enjoy your stay.