Where to start? I have read Merely Me ever since she began writing for Health Central almost three years ago. I know I have not missed reading one post in that time, on all of the sites she writes for.

She's an exceptional writer and prolific! I could not come up with all the different topics, let alone write articles about them.  :)  I have never understood how she balances everything in raising a family, home schooling her autistic son, writing and commenting and answering questions every week. There is a lot of everyday struggle hidden behind those words. Only someone who goes through it can see those struggles, often every minute is a crisis, somewhere.

Any personal attack on her, must be carried out by someone who has not bothered to read much of what she has written. She writes about all sides of issues, they are researched and reported over time, and she shares so much of her own disappointments and successes. She always makes the point that these are her experiences, that others might not have the same outcome.

Eileen, I think your point was to support her; I think your post has done that better than, at least I can do. But I offer support and thanks for her work, and for yours. I can remember reading on the Depression site long ago how the title, Expert, made her uncomfortable, and always has. I think it fits.

Hello Eileen,

First, I read the article you linked to and didn't find anything wrong with it, but there are a few things about writing on the 'net' which tends to get attacked. The perception of writing 'against' medication or writing 'for' medication these two are probably at the top of the list when writing about ADHD. Although the writer is attacked for writing the article as an 'expert' it's probably more about what she was writing than about the fact she is considered or writes as an 'expert'. Still, it's not right to simply attack one's credibility simply because one doesn't agree with someone else.

Second, blogs are mainly about opinion and passing what one has learned or experienced on to others. It's not medical advice, but more so the sharing of one's life lessons learned. Most readers know this and appreciate the content more so than any title someone may have; however, we have to remember we are writing to the World Wide Web and there are so many people out there who will attack for the sake of attacking. There are people who spend all day on the net attacking others for having a different opinion and will use different excuses each time, usually it's because they are 'looking out for others', but really it’s just what they do – the attackers themselves lose credibility over time and not the blog writers who are being attacked.

I wouldn't give too much credit to the commenter or any commenter who attacks the writers or what they write about, because that's the nature of the net, but if it goes below the belt or is primarily insulting then I would simply delete the offending comment.

Bests,

Bryan

ADDerWorld