Some comments from an ex-moderator

[webslave]

I was chatting with an ex-moderator of this forum, John, and he made some perceptive comments about men with CPPS, and why he no longer wants to moderate this patient group. He now runs a site dealing with all prostate problems, including prostate cancer. Some quotes:

John: There are more prostate cancer patients than CPPS patients, but my goodness the difference between them is night and day. It’s the mental health thing that’s draining with CPPS. I find it difficult to deal with men in a panic that don’t see the panic is why they are in a panic. This is why I don’t want to be involved in support groups online. The problem is that the more sensible people back off, and the loons set themselves up in Facebook and Reddit etc so the downward spiral continues for these men. They're feeding each others anxieties and keeping the cycle alive.

Me: Yes, the CPPS population contains a lot of men with OCD problems, very intransigent ways of thinking, hypervigilant, obsessive, hostile, suspicious, hard to convince.

John: Yeah, I noticed that on Reddit. It is way more alarming than 20 years back. I don’t think I could cope talking to these people. Sometimes reading the nonsense gets me angry. Don’t need that. I wouldn’t want to begin posting and helping people who won’t listen, or can’t listen. Then you start repeating to them and they won’t stop with the mental health. It brings you down. Side note: I talk to lots of guys with prostate cancer with a “BY FAR” worse diagnosis and they do not exhibit these traits. Age? I dunno. Just not doing the mental health Olympics.

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Some truth in there. We all need to look in the mirror occasionally. Myself included.

[Sleeper Service]

Having had bouts of this on off for a long time now, and having been one of those anxious men who has slowly learned that one of the best things you can do is relax, accept it's a long term thing, and that with the right treatment (which will vary from person to person) you'll get better over time, I'd agree.

Of course, it's difficult when it first hits and you don't know what's going on, but digging a pit of despair for yourself doesn't help. Yes, it's tough, but a lot of that toughness comes from how you choose to manage things, and that's always within your control.

[Paulr83]

Well I'm most likely a "mental" person when it comes to this. I do appreciate the moderator here for putting up w me. W out this site I doubt I would be here. Alive that is. There are 2 sides and they seem both militant in their opinions on what causes this. So for a beginner it can be very confusing and tax the nervous system. Anyway thanks for keeping this space going and dealing w guys like me. I really do appreciate it.

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