The Shmoody community is a space where we can come together to share the good and the bad, the ups and the downs, and support each other every step of the way. We wrote these guidelines to help keep the community healthy and strong – a space where Shmoodsters feel encouraged to share openly and to support each other. ❤️

By helping others we help the whole community; we contribute to something greater than ourselves. And we've learned through experience that supporting and being of service to others is one of the best ways to feel better ourselves.

We believe that vulnerability = strength. Openness and honesty lead to authentic connections and the opportunity for real growth and real change. Our experiences are valuable. We may be able to share exactly what another person needs to hear.

We go out of our way to be loving and kind to others in the community. Even those we don’t know or may disagree with. We encourage and lift up others with empathy when they practice vulnerability. We’re all in this together.

In order to keep our community healthy and strong, we will respond to any posts or replies that we believe violate the guidelines below, and we encourage Shmoodsters to report any content that violates these guidelines so we can review it. Let’s come together to keep this community strong, supportive, and vibrant!

Disclose what you want about your own life and identity, but respect the right to anonymity of others in our community space. Do not threaten to share anyone’s information and do not pretend to be someone else.

If you feel like you shouldn't be posting something you probably shouldn't. We understand that there are many “gray areas” in conversations around mental health and we want to encourage genuine and vulnerable interactions. That being said, we encourage Shmoodsters to avoid posting anything that could be directly harmful to other users.

We want our community members to be able to reach out for support from others if they are struggling in this area (Ex. "I am struggling with this, has anyone else struggled?" but ask that our users do not share specific details about the nature of the self-harm.

Avoid posting any inappropriate or graphic content, including anything that is sexually explicit, violent, harmful, or offensive that may shock or disgust others.

People come to this space from all walks of life. Don’t harass, threaten, mock, troll, argue, criticize, or communicate in aggressive or disrespectful ways. Don’t discriminate against others based on their identities or opinions. Don’t argue about politics or controversial subjects. Don’t promote violence or illegal activity. Don’t spread misinformation that is intended or likely to cause harm.

Do not spam, self-promote, solicit services, or otherwise behave or communicate in a way that interferes with the experience of others.

We want everyone using the space to feel like they can communicate about their emotions and experiences, but this is not a space for crisis support or medical advice. If you are in crisis or worried about the safety of yourself or another, please call the emergency services in your area, visit our resources page, or find a helpline here.

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We encourage users to flag content that violates these guidelines. Please do not misuse the flagging or reporting functions to try and silence others inappropriately (we review these to contribute to a safe space for all Shmoodsters).