#MentalHealth channel guidelines:

In our channel, everyone is expected to show consideration, understanding and respect for other people at all times. People often struggle to articulate their thoughts or express their feelings about complicated subjects such as mental health. In our channel, there are many different perspectives to be considered. Showing sensitive regard for the person behind the keyboard goes a long way.

Although some people don't mind swearing, there may be others who are offended by vulgar language, so please keep it to a minimum. Discrediting remarks and put-downs, including prejudicial language directed at minorities or other groups that suffer discrimination, will not be tolerated under any circumstances. If it is brought to your attention that someone is offended by your remarks, then please refrain from making those remarks.

Each person who is given the responsibility of operating the channel has been carefully selected for their experience and judgment. Our main goal is to create a safe space where each of you can reflect about the subject of mental health without being harassed or unduly upset by others. While we may not always succeed in this aim, our operators try their best and ought to be shown proper respect. Directing snide remarks at the operators or putting them on ignore, may result in a kick or a ban at their discretion.

For the sake of trust, we ask that you do not attempt to conceal yourself behind multiple nick-names or host-names. Visitors who use their on-line persona to deceive others create an atmosphere of distrust that is counter-productive to the aims of this channel. If you do have multiple nicks, we ask that you confirm if you are known by any other nicks on the channel if you are asked about this. Every operator has the authority to remove people that they consider to be suspicious or evasive when asked who they are.

If you are warned, kicked, devoiced (when the channel is moderated), banned, or otherwise seem to be unhappy with the channel, do not bring that problem to the main channel. Criticising the operators in the main channel or bringing issues from other channels to #MentalHealth, will result in a ban. If you have an issue that needs to be addressed, take it up directly with that person in PM and if they choose not to respond you will need to accept that fact.

In our experience, a large amount of the problematic behaviour on the channel can be resolved by simply blocking entry to our channel when a person is hanging around in suspect or troublesome channels on IRC. There are some channels on IRC that if we notice a person is in, they will be banned. Feel free to send a PM to an operator to chat about this if you like. Ultimately though, it is our call and unfortunately it is a measure we have found necessary to make to make all of our lives easier. Please respect that decision.
Users found to be in "toiletbowl", rape, incest, kiddie porn, credit card theft, or nazi channels will be permanently banned without warning.

As mentioned above, there are many chat channels on IRC about a wide range of topics. For those who are struggling with drug addiction, chatting about the merits of taking LSD, cannabis, or a range of other substances, can serve as a trigger for cravings and potential misuse. Our experience in the channel is that people trying to overcome addiction do not always reveal that they are struggling in this way. We ask that you respect others by keeping these discussions brief when possible.

Friendly politics are encouraged, however, hateful extremeism will not be tolerated. Espousing hateful extremeism (e.g Nazism, hafrada) in the channel will result in a ban.

If you are not enjoying #MentalHealth, we encourage you to take a break! Wherever possible, try to have fun. The channel is here to be enjoyed by the people who visit, so please use it that way. If we can see that the channel is causing anguish to either yourself or others, rather than enjoyment, then the operators may decide that we are all better off when you enjoy other places on the Internet. Our overarching goal is to optimize the happiness and enjoyment of as many people on the channel as possible.