This morning I actually took a look at the back end of my blog and the list of blogs I follow. There was probably over 100. I went through the list and cleared out a bunch of them who either I am no longer interested in or are no longer blogging.
Obviously there are two reasons people stop blogging - either they just decide to stop or they are no longer with us, unfortunately. The second group are the ones that sadden me - lost friends.
But the first group intrigues me. Why do they stop blogging? Most of the blogs I follow are health related blogs, many of them on breast or thyroid cancer, arthritis, fibromyalgia, or other lifelong ailments. So why do these people stop blogging? Its not like they are cured. But maybe they think they are. Or maybe they no longer have coping issues?
This is why I am intrigued. I think of blogging as a coping/venting tool for many. That's what it is for me, after 8+ years of blogging. My health is constantly evolving with new issues cropping up periodically (but I really wouldn't mind if I didn't have any more issues thank you) so I keep coping and keep blogging. Do these other former bloggers non longer feel the need?
The emotional impact of an ailment may dim over time and perhaps they get a false sense of security and assume they will be fine or are able to work past it and get on with their lives. Or maybe I am just really jealous that they are better and I am not? Damn.
5 comments:
I think that one reason people stop is that they get too busy - as they start re-engaging with their life beyond cancer, the busy-ness starts to take over again. Another reason is that they feel like they don't have as much to say ... I certainly have slowed down my rate of blogging, but I'm still doing it ... I am just doing more of my blogging in other places ...
I think it's healthy for many. After a certain amount of time, you have recovered from your cancer experience and have nothing left to say about it. You get to be healthy and move on - that's the goal, isn't it?
People like me, who have mets and live with it every day don't get that opportunity. But even I can't talk about only cancer for years....
Hi Caroline,
I always get sad when bloggers I have been following for a long time stop, and of course, it's horribly sad when bloggers I have followed and come to care about die, which happens all too often in the cancer blogosphere. Those who stop by choice have many reasons. I have no idea how long I'll keep at it. I think I'll know when the time comes. Glad you're still at it. But not glad you still have issues of course.
I blogged less when I wasn't in the thick of things, and was trying to start writing about other things. I think when you write a cancer blog you expect to talk about cancer - but sometimes it is hard to do that all of the time! Hopefully they are well and have emotionally moved on.
I am an asthma and respiratory therapy blogger, and have likewise observed that many of my fellow bloggers are no longer blogging. I also have noticed that there are no new bloggers to take their places. I think there are many reasons for this, some of which you mention above. Another that we might consider is the fact that, as I also started about 8 years ago, we entered the blogosphere amid a blogging bubble that has since burst. I think one of the reasons for this are social networking places such as Facebook and Twitter.
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