An Example of a Group Chat

One night I talked with Kelly, Lauran, Ocean, Brooke, and Tina in a group chat. You can read for yourselves how the teens were helping each other. (June 10th, 2005)

steve says:
u there kelly
steve says:
and ocean?
lauren says:
hello everyone
ocean says:
yeah

Every exit is an entry somewhere has left the conversation.

lauren says:
hi kelly
steve says:
lauren can u introduce urself to ocean
steve says:
kelly just left,. dont know why
lauren says:
oh ok hi ocea
lauren says:
ocean*
ocean says:
hi lauren
lauren says:
lots of new people
lauren says:
how are we all today?
ocean says:
im alright... how r u
lauren says:
not too bad, just had lunch
lauren says:
may I add you to MSN?
ocean says:
yeah, sure
steve says:
lauren is in australia ocean
steve says:
ocean is in washington (state)
steve says:
and just for everyone's info kelly just told me in another window that she
was feeling very suicidal and thought it would be better to call someone.
lauren says:
the land downunder lol
steve says:
so she left and i think shes gonna call a crisis line. shes done that before
and they have helped her
ocean says:
ok...
steve says:
ocean can u tell lauren about what happened last night with ana
lauren says:
im writing to the person you asked me too so may take a moment to reply
steve says:
btw lauren is 18 and is starting to study psych in uni but seems pretty cool
inspite of that!
ocean says:
ana had ran away from home, because her parents were going to send her to
the psych hospital,
steve says:
and she said she doesnt want to wait 4 years to start helping pple
lauren says:
gee thanks hehehe, yes thats true i love to help ppl
lauren says:
is ana a friend of yours?
lauren says:
or a sister?
ocean says:
and yesterday her niece told me and brooke that they found her, and her dad
confined her to one room and is hitting her
steve says:
well she is one of "us"
ocean says:
and she is bleeding
lauren says:
where abouts is she?
steve says:
texas
steve says:
her family is mexican
steve says:
so this is typical for latins
steve says:
ana will be 18 this month or next
lauren says:
has any authorities been told?
lauren says:
how are you both coping?
ocean says:
her niece asked us what she cud do, cuz she was terrified, but when we
suggested call CPS shes like "r u kidding? they wud kill me."
ocean says:
and then told us we're full of shit and now her sign in name is "leave me
alone".
steve says:
well about authorities.... ana didnt want to go to the mental hospital and
that is where they would put her so i wouldnt call the cops even if i were
sure where she lived, which im not, though brooke might have anas phone
number
brooke says:
i do
steve says:
and im not coping. im just not feeling
brooke says:
hug
steve says:
ur sending a lot of hugs these days brooke. lol
steve says:
just for ur info, lauren, brooke never used to send hugs!
brooke says:
*rolls eyes*
lauren says:
hmm what is there to do other than getting her out of there or calling
people who may be able to?
lauren says:
lol aww can never send too many hugs
steve says:
yeah thats the problem lauren
steve says:
this is what ive been dealing with for the past 4 years
lauren says:
thats one thing id hate with psychology you're not supposed to hug the
patients
steve says:
it is super hard to try to help teens when their parents and the police have
all the power
steve says:
yeah and neither r teachers supposed to hug kids
steve says:
its fucked up
ocean says:
yeah... cuz the patients may be abused and freak out, thats what they told
me
steve says:
that is about the only thing good i can say for south america
steve says:
u can hug kids, hold their hands etc and no one will call u a child abuser
ocean says:
yay. hugs r good.
steve says:
but thats stupid about what u said ocean cuz if the patients wanted a hug
then they wouldnt freak out. the shrinks act like all patients are the same
steve says:
and they know better than the patients what is good for the patient
steve says:
just like parents think they do
steve says:
and thats why patients are patients and in counseling
ocean says:
yeah, i know... i was just remembering the no-hug rule at hospitals... i
agree its stupid
steve says:
totally stupid
ocean says:
it was against patients hugging patients
steve says:
oh
steve says:
thats even stupider!
lauren says:
"it is super hard to try to help teens when their parents and the police
have all the power"- I don't think that anyone ever holds all the power, its
just getting teens to realise this and be able to take a stand and change
their circumstances which is the most hardest step in the world to do, but
nothings ever impossible, just difficult
steve says:
well in the usa at least, the teens dont have places they can go like in
australia, lauren. australia is way better id say
steve says:
they love to lock pple up in the usa
steve says:
in jails and mental wards
lauren says:
really?!? thats not right
lauren says:
everyone come move to Australia
steve says:
i know
steve says:
lol
lauren says:

brooke says:
i'll move
ocean says:
sweet!
ocean says:
we can all live there.
ocean says:
lol...
lauren says:
its nice here
brooke says:
lol
lauren says:
very pretty
steve says:
yeah shes right
steve says:
it is
brooke says:
i'll go to Adelaide and live with a friend.. that sounds nice lol
steve says:
but i think if i tried to help a teen run away id get in trouble in
australia too
brooke says:
brb got to go strangle a cat
steve says:
but i dont know what happens if the teen runs away and the parents call the
police
steve says:
strangle a cat?
ocean says:
what kind of places do they have in austrailia for teens to go
brooke says:
lol jk
ocean says:
(her cats bites her arm as she types or something...)
brooke says:
yeah
lauren says:
not many places for teens to go but they wont lock you up in a psych ward
steve says:
lauren i sent u a copy of the first email the girl who i wrote u about sent
me
ocean says:
well... i was thinking that here the teen centers give ppl food, etc, so
maybe there was youth shelters...
lauren says:
i just read it
ocean says:
so... do u think theres like a law in austrailia that says that they cant
put u in a psych ward against ur will even if u r under18, or "dangeroud to
urself"...
steve says:
k
lauren says:
yes there are youth shelters
lauren says:
ive not had dealings with them though, although i wish id known of them when
i was younger, but now ive my own place
lauren says:
they can get a judge to order you to see a counsellor but i dont think they
will lock you up unless they seriously believe you will be of danger to
yourself or others
ocean says:
hmm.... mm k
ocean says:
they seem to lock ppl up just for being depressed and cutting, its kinda
discouraging
lauren says:
i was forced to see a counsellor and they said that they will only tell the
authorities if they think you will kill urself
lauren says:
or someone else
lauren says:
not for cutting or being depressed
steve says:
it looks like they are closing here
steve says:
can u save this and send it to me o?
ocean says:
yeah
steve says:
and lauren can u tell ocean about the 13 year old
steve says:
and give her the email etc.?
steve says:
i asked brooke but she keeps going off to strangle cats or something!
lauren says:
ok sure
brooke says:
lol
steve says:
or u can ask brooke
steve says:
oh there u are
steve says:
i didnt see u come back
steve says:
so did u kill it?
brooke says:
nah just threw it in the garage
brooke says:
lol
steve says:
thats compassionate of u
ocean says:
lol .
brooke says:
(not harshly)
steve says:
im sure
lauren says:
poor kitty (MW)
ocean says:
gently ion the garbage?
lauren says:
lol
brooke says:
they love the garage
steve says:
can u send a copy of the email to ocean lauren?
lauren says:
sure
steve says:
thanks
steve says:
ok everyone. thanks for helping me and each other
steve says:
ive got to go
brooke says:
thanks steve
steve says:
hugs to everyone
brooke says:
hug
lauren says:
take care of yourself
ocean says:
hugs, steve
steve says:
bye bye.
steve says:
im gonna invite tina in here if she wants....
steve says:
she just came on
lauren says:
okies sure
brooke says:
*thumbs up sign*

Martina has been added to the conversation.

steve says:
ok u there tina?
steve says:
she has ana news
Martina says:
tina is present
ocean says:
hi tina... whats the ana news
brooke says:
howdy
steve says:
k ive got to go... shit
Martina says:
brooke you have to come to texas and say that
lauren says:
tis okies take care steve
Martina says:
lol
brooke says:
lol
steve says:
k bye everyone.
Martina says:
who is closing?
steve says:
the net cafe here
brooke says:
bur bye
Martina says:
oh
Martina says:
that sucks
ocean says:
bye, steve...
Martina says:
but ana said shell try to come on tonight
Martina says:
shes goin to miss u
Martina says:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Martina says:
my plan worked so well
Martina says:
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
brooke says:
*raises eyebrows*
lauren says:
plan?
ocean says:
well ill be on... and brooke maybe
Martina says:
yes
Martina says:
fine
lauren says:
what time is it in Texas?
Martina says:
eleven
ocean says:
unless steve needed to rescue her or something
Martina says:
no, she just said hey to steve
ocean says:
ok... tho it wud be cool if u had a plan for steve to swoop in and rescue
her. lol.
brooke says:
lol
Martina says:
she also said to tell you "u wish!!!!!!!" i dun' kno whut that meant, but
she said steve wuld kno
Martina says:
is steve gone?
ocean says:
huh...
lauren says:
im as lost as you are
lauren says:

lauren says:
lol