1. Do not share or ask for Methods to harm yourself. This applies to suicide methods and self-harm methods. If other people can picture how you are harming, have harmed or are intending to harm yourself, this is a method and is not allowed. Methods also includes suicide planning or steps taken to prepare to commit suicide. (You are free to express thoughts of suicide as well as self harm as long as these aren't explicit descriptions of this action eg 'cutting' is permitted while explaining where you've cut, with what object, how much you're bleeding etc, is not.)

2. Encouraging suicide or self-harm in any way is strictly forbidden. Intentionally trying to incite or persuade any member to harm themselves in any way will lead to immediate restriction of account permissions and may lead to a complete site ban.

3. Suicide Pacts are viewed as encouraging suicide and therefore strictly forbidden. This is grounds for an immediate ban from the site.

4. Suicide notes, timelines or countdowns of any description are not to be posted on the forum or discussed in chat – these will be removed. Saying you 'will be gone by (your) next birthday', 'will kill (yourself) on Wednesday night' and 'plan to do xyz next week' are all examples of this. Saying 'when my dog dies' or 'when my chilren grow up' is not'. Similarly, announcing your departure from the forum for whatever reason is allowed but will be locked by moderators. These posts have a way of creating the same types of drama as annoucing a timeline of suicide, in such that they make others try to coerce members into staying. It should be ones choice whether to stay on the forum or not and not feel pressured to do so.

5. Discussion supporting or encouraging anything that is generally considered illegal in the UK, USA, Canada or Australia is not allowed. These are our main areas of membership so we focus primarily on these countries. This includes discussions endorsing the use of illegal drugs or promoting the abuse of legal medications. We do allow the therapeutic discussion of drugs that are considered illegal but are sometimes being used for medical purposes. This is not intended to create discussion of partying or recreational drug use.

6. SF is a pro-life support site. Discussion and debate on euthanasia and “right to die / right to commit suicide” is not permitted. We realise this is a topic people are very interested in but there are many places to discuss this online.

7. Sexually explicit content and/or the attempt to engage other members in discussions that are sexual in nature are strictly prohibited. SF is not a dating site. Most users here arrive in a vulnerable state and aren't here to receive unsolicited and unwanted messages from others. Note that we also have members as young as 13 here. If we find an adult grooming a minor we WILL report the adult to the authorities in that country.

8. As a peer support forum it is expected that all our members treat others with respect. Discussion or comment that is intentionally/knowingly insulting toward a person or group of people (including famous people - celebrities, politicians, public figures, musicians, etc) is not permitted. This includess discourse that belittles, insults or bullies a person or group of people for their faith, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, profession, political position, etc. Rude, insulting or bullying behaviour will lead to site privileges being revoked.

9. Expression of violent intentions or desires of harming individuals, groups, animals etc is prohibited.

10. 'Account Deletion': We do not delete profiles. You are in control of the personal information on your profile. If you wish to change your email address and password that can be done at a user level so you can no longer log yourself in. There is no 'account' as we store no personal information on members here. The threads you create and the content you add belong to the site once you enter them.

11. Sharing ANYTHING posted on SF by members, staff or admin in whole or in part, offsite or to another location is not permitted. This includes copy/paste or paraphrase to email, messages, social media sites, blogs, skype conversations etc. This is a safe space and people have right a to expect that the thoughts and feelings they share here will not be repeated, gossiped about, ridiculed or otherwise exposed for entertainment, discussion or censure. This includes forum posts, chat messages, instant messages, private messages and otherwise.

12. SF is not a substitute for medical or professional assistance in a crisis. If you are found to be in danger (claiming that you are in the middle of a suicide attempt, that you are currently self-harming, that you are an immediate threat to yourself or someone else, that you are currently engaging in dangerous behaviors) your account will be temporarily suspended so you can seek professional help. This is not punishment but a temporary measure to get your offline and seeking help in the real world.

13. If you post on SF or enter chat while intoxicated to the point that it limits your coherence your account will be temporarily suspended until such time as you are able to give and receive support in the spirit of the site.

14. Staff instructions are to be followed at all times without argument or abuse. If you have questions or comments about a staff instruction you may write a “Letter to the Admin” to discuss it. Staff decisions are not to be discussed in chat or on the forum – both of these are for support not debate on site policies.

15. SF is not an advertising space of any kind. Please do not post personal links (blogs, websites, etc) without prior approval. Links with commercial concerns will be deleted immediately. Links for crowdfunding will also be deleted and are not allowed in any areas of the forum.

16. Your personal information is your responsibility. SF takes no responsibility for the actions of members off site. It is strictly forbidden to ask for another member’s off site contacts (email, skype, phone numbers, social media etc). You may offer your own at your own risk, but requesting it from others will be considered coercive and potentially predatory and your SF account will be closed. Under no circumstances is it allowed to pressure or push for real life or in person meetings. Anybody that feels like they were pressured for meetings offsite should immediately report it. In these situations the local authorities will be notified if deemed appropriate.

17. You are entitled to your own faith but posts pushing your faith on other people are not allowed here. Our members find it triggering and have the right to speak about their problems without having a religious agenda pushed upon them. Posts that are considered to push a religious agenda will be deleted and your account may be limited or banned if this behaviour continues. Do not recommend people seek help from God, the church or any other religious activity, nor make statements that seeking such help is harmful or useless. It is equally considered a religious agenda to push an anti-God/Creator sentiment. These rules are exempt in the Faith Forum.

18. The position of this forum is that depression and mental illness is a medical problem that should be dealt with by a medical professional with prescribed treatment, whether this be medication, therapy or something else. Any post that dissuades from seeking medical attention (e.g. arguing that medications are dangerous/placebos, suggesting that hospitals are terrible places etc) are against the rules and will be deleted. Whether or not people take medication is a decision that is strictly between them and their doctor

19. The minimum age to join SF is 13. All members under the age of 16 will have public access only accounts. They can post on the main forum or use the public group chat rooms for support however they cannot send/receive private messages in either chat or forum to protect them from potentially dangerous or inappropriate advice and /or discussions.

20. Child abuse is a crime, not a peer support topic. Peer support cannot adequately address complex issues that require physical/legal intervention to resolve. If any type of abuse is reported by a minor the thread will be closed and the member will be encouraged to report it for real life assistance. Also, if you are on the receiving end of these messages, please report them so we can attempt to get help to these parties.

21. Anonymity: SF is an anonymous site. Members may use their first name if they wish to, but full names should not be used anywhere on the forum. This includes your own name or the names of anyone else you might personally know. Photographs of people’s faces, whether your own or anyone you know, are not allowed in any public part of the forum or chat. Photographs not including faces that could feasibly identify you are equally not permitted.