Taking a break? How long until you came back?

[LibraNurse27, BSN, RN]

Hi all, I am wondering if anyone has taken a break from this site and come back to it, and if so why? How long did you stay away, and did you come back "refreshed?" I've been on much more than usual during shelter in place. I previously logged on a few times a month, to ask a question, see what's new, and answer questions. I've always appreciated the answers and feedback I've gotten, and as I gained more experience I enjoyed answering questions from new grads and hoping I helped.

Lately I've found the site triggering, especially the recent thread after the Derek Chauvin verdict (thread now closed). It hurts me that there are nurses who believe racism is over or "black people are racist for having their own, exclusively black organizations." I tried to explain these organizations were created because black people were excluded from all organizations, and to promote civil rights. It scares me there are nurses who think like this, and I wonder how they treat their black pts. There are statistics about black people receiving worse care, less pain meds, etc.

I saw this when a pt was having chest pain but nothing showed on the ekg so resident labeled her drug seeking, didn't call cardiologist. Turns out she was having ischemia to the back wall of her heart which doesn't show on ekg. She died. Cardiologist was livid. I knew her for 4 years and it hit me hard. Also, there have been posts about people in mental health crises. I give my advice based on my experience w/ bipolar, but they come back and make the same posts and it scares me. Maybe I'm too sensitive and need to realize I don't even know these people, but I feel I need to take a break for my own mental health, as it exacerbates my bipolar and makes me more scared about my black in-laws and friends. There have been more killings of black people arrested for traffic stops, air freshener in their window, etc. I don't understand how people can't notice the pattern of black people being pulled over for nothing, then ending up dead, or someone like Breonna Taylor shot while sleeping, completely innocent of any crime. It makes me cry to read that people don't care and think it's "overrepresented in the media." There is hard data showing it's not. Any advice? It seems hard to avoid threads w/ triggering topics, because threads start about one thing and take sharp turns to end up talking about other topics. thanks. ❤️ 

[Sour Lemon]

The thing to ask yourself, is what are you hoping to get out of visiting this site (or any other site)? If you're looking for entertainment, you might find it. If you'd like to know what other people think, you'll find out. If you'd like to share your own thoughts, okay no problem. If you want to convince everyone else that they should think and feel the same way you do, that has a 0% chance of happening. You might as well jump ship. ?️

I've never taken a formal break with a set time from any site, I just get busy and/or lose interest.

[Emergent, RN]

The trick is to avoid the threads that trigger you, and only visit the threads that uplift or enlighten you. You are in control of what you read here.

[Davey Do]

Wow, LibraNurse. I clicked on this thread expecting the first paragraph, but then it got really heavy.

I have a tendency to become involved with thread discussions mainly for entertainment. If I can give information or be morally supportive, I feel good about that and hope the other member experiences a positive feeling also.

When it comes to heavy duty subjects, I tend to avoid or merely brief over the discussion. Far too often those discussions get, for lack of a better word, ugly. Some have difficulty separating personalities from principles or emotions from logic; difficulty attacking the premise and not the person.

I believe in the old concept of thinking globally, yet acting locally. There is only so much any of us can really do. We all need to work on ourselves first and foremost, lest we be the blind leading the blind. Charity begins at home, and we need to clean up our own backyards before we go messing in others'

40 minutes ago, LibraNurse27 said:

I am wondering if anyone has taken a break from this site and come back to it, and if so why? How long did you stay away, and did you come back "refreshed?"

 I took a four month hiatus from allnurses back in 2019, and, yes, I did come back feeling refreshed. Kahlil Gibran, in The Prophet, said something along the lines of "Your friend in his absence is clearer to you, as the mountain is to the climber from the plain".

In my absence, I sought other ways to express myself, use my time, and make new virtual fiends.

It was time away well spent, I have a different perspective, but am very glad to be back.

The best to you, LibraNurse!

 

[guest1163268]

25 minutes ago, Davey Do said:

Wow, LibraNurse. I clicked on this thread expecting the first paragraph, but then it got really heavy.

I have a tendency to become involved with thread discussions mainly for entertainment. If I can give information or be morally supportive, I feel good about that and hope the other member experiences a positive feeling also.

When it comes to heavy duty subjects, I tend to avoid or merely brief over the discussion. Far too often those discussions get, for lack of a better word, ugly. Some have difficulty separating personalities from principles or emotions from logic; difficulty attacking the premise and not the person.

I believe in the old concept of thinking globally, yet acting locally. There is only so much any of us can really do. We all need to work on ourselves first and foremost, lest we be the blind leading the blind. Charity begins at home, and we need to clean up our own backyards before we go messing in others'

 I took a four month hiatus from allnurses back in 2019, and, yes, I did come back feeling refreshed. Kahlil Gibran, in The Prophet, said something along the lines of "Your friend in his absence is clearer to you, as the mountain is to the climber from the plain".

In my absence, I sought other ways to express myself, use my time, and make new virtual fiends.

It was time away well spent, I have a different perspective, but am very glad to be back.

The best to you, LibraNurse!

 

Kahlil Gibran! You are full of surprises Davey! 

Have you explored the context of the time period and political, social framework that he existed in to allow him the freedom to be such an insightful person? 

Kahlil Gibran. Again, you bowl me over! 

[Davey Do]

On 4/24/2021 at 1:34 PM, Curious1997 said:

Kahlil Gibran! You are full of surprises Davey! 

We are known by the company we keep, whether that be a great philosopher or great cartoonist.

The main character in Richard Bach's 'Illusions' accused the Reluctant Messiah of quoting Snoopy the dog.

The Reluctant Messiah replied with something like, "I'll find my truths wherever I may, thank you very much!"

 

[guest1163268]

9 minutes ago, Davey Do said:

We are known by the company we keep, whether that be a great philosopher or great cartoonist.

The main character in Richard Bach's 'Illusions' accused the Reluctant Messiah of quoting Snoopy the dog.

The Reluctant Messiah replied something like, "I'll find my truths wherever I may, thank you very much!"

 

So true! 

I find mine sitting on the throne eliminating all of the wastes accumulated and marveling at the wonder of the best, most efficient Darwinism system evolved ?????????

[speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

I think only you can decide what, when, and how to take a break from the site. I have learned that I can and will disagree with people and that’s OK. There are threads that do irritate me or even make me angry based on my life experiences. When that happens, sometimes I respond, but more often then not, I simply refuse to read the thread anymore.

None of us are 100% right (even if we like to believe or think we are ?). Saying that - it is important to choose and pick your battles. I tend to respond to the threads that I feel I should and need to. The rest I ignore or go to another thread. I have gotten slightly better at this but also still struggle with “choosing” my battles.

[Emergent, RN]

There are threads that irritate me. For instance, the opening post on this thread is really about another topic than the title. The title was intriguing, but the OP actually seems to be calling out people from another thread, and continuing the argument that went on in that thread that has been closed.

I think that was deceptive. I am not at all interested in discussing or debating about racial issues that exist in America. It's all over the news, it is a constant preoccupation in our society, and I have reached my saturation point on that subject. So, when you start a thread about how you need to take a break from this place, and really continue the debate from a closed thread, I'm crying foul. Maybe you need to go to the Penalty Box for that.

[LibraNurse27, BSN, RN]

8 hours ago, Emergent said:

The title was intriguing, but the OP actually seems to be calling out people from another thread, and continuing the argument that went on in that thread that has been closed.

That was not my intention, but thank you for the feedback. No hurt feelings LOL I see where you are coming from. I became one of the people I was complaining about who posts about unrelated topics in a thread... in my own thread! ? I think it's a super important topic but I understand people come here for entertainment, to discuss nursing related issues, and possibly to escape from all that is going on in the world. I found it helpful to log on when I was working on the covid floor to hear from other covid nurses. Good advice to avoid certain threads/log out when you're not getting what you hoped from your visit to the site. 

[Davey Do]

16 hours ago, Emergent said:

I think that was deceptive. 

And I think that you can be perceptive beyond my range, Emergent.

7 hours ago, LibraNurse27 said:

That was not my intention, but thank you for the feedback. No hurt feelings . I see where you are coming from.

And heaps of Kudos upon you, LibraNurse, for your response! We don't have to become defensive in a disagreement and retaliate with being offensive!

7 hours ago, LibraNurse27 said:

I think it's a super important topic but I understand people come here for entertainment, to discuss nursing related issues, and possibly to escape from all that is going on in the world. 

EVERYBODY comes here for selfish reasons and there is not one altruist among us.

Those who are truly altruistic are out doing things for others and not sitting at a keyboard blogging about it.

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

4 hours ago, Davey Do said:

EVERYBODY comes here for selfish reasons and there is not one altruist among us.

I would disagree to an extent because I think that almost everyone that comes to this site hopes they have something to offer as well as something to gain.

To answer the original question, I did end up taking a break I guess for a little over a year. It wasn't really an intentional break, life was just busy and I didn't feel like I was in a place to offer any help and the questions coming up in my own practice needed more emergent responses than an internet site would provide. 

I am also here mostly for entertainment. I avoid political/heavy social topics most places in my life. I know to some people that looks like a copout, but I try to do what I can to make a positive influence in my own community. I do lots of volunteer work and help where I can. I'm sorry if you had trouble with a particular thread and the direction it took. I rarely get into arguments over the internet because it usually just frustrates me and 100% of the time does NOT change the other person's mind.