[Barnacle]

Sometimes I feel that my FReepers are my only friends.

That is a common phenomenon here on Free Republic. But, it is not a healthy one. An Internet site is a Internet site. It is no substitute for your friends and family. Do not neglect them or you will become isolated. Be willing to drop talking about this stuff when you're with them.

What prompts me to write this is a thread on depression a few months back following the suicide of a Freeper (do a search if inclined). If I remember right, many of the posters agreed that a fair number of Freepers suffer from depression. The above is one reason why I think that may be. Your friends and family are the real world, Free Republic, no matter how cool, is cyber space.

[Letitring]

Which is why I have to take breaks. I love you all, but have to take steps back to preserve health and happiness. A thread like this is so very important, it's difficult to leave it.

[Calpernia]

>>>An Internet site is a Internet site.

Oh no no no no. FR is much more than a Net site.

Rushmore, FR has a Network. Freep mail me if you need help locating it.

We are TONS more than a message board.

Sorry you missed that aspect Barnacle.

[Cindy]

SNIPPET FROM YOUR POST: "What prompts me to write this is a thread on depression a few months back following the suicide of a Freeper (do a search if inclined). If I remember right, many of the posters agreed that a fair number of Freepers suffer from depression."

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, so I'm going to give you mine Barnacle.

I have been a FReeper for a long time, and have linked to FR since it first began. FR is a great forum for healthy debaters, researchers, and discussing news and views. I have never and I'll repeat this again, NEVER run into "a fair number of Freepers" who "suffer from depression." This is a healthy board with a lot of strong and varied personalities.

As for your statement "following the suicide of a Freeper (do a search if inclined)"... Well, I did a search on the key word "suicide" and found a lot on SUICIDE BOMBERS. Not a lot of FReepers among those guys, I suppose.

As for any FReeper who may be depressed at one time or another; that's normal and natural. As for any Freeper who may have committed suicide; that's sad, but the suicidal attitude does not represent the majority of us and does not represent "a fair number of us", either.

And, that's my 1.2 cents.

[JustPiper]

Tell that to little Logan ;)