Is going to ATS a form of coping mechanism?

ATS is definitely a place to do a lot of things and yes I think one of the reason (among many) is as a coping mechanism.

It's a stressful world out there and believers and skeptics, left and right wingers alike go to ATS to relieve some stress. Although maybe the result is even more stress.

I personally do find ATS can be fun and useful as long as you don't take it too far.

Is going to ATS a form of coping mechanism?

Yes it is. I live with 3 aliens who terrify me constantly. I have to go to ATS to read debunking alien stories just so I can get to sleep at night. I wake up in the morning and they are still here in my house! So, I have to go on ATS some more, and look at more fake aliens. I have to do this all day long just to get through the day!

Thank You ATS, you have saved my sanity! If it wasn't .... wait... Can't you see I'm typing here?.. Don't point that thing at me! Oh No! Not another alien pro....


EDIT: Seriously, I think people com here more than anything else because they really want to believe deep down inside and hope to find some glimmer of evidence to support their beliefs.

Or there's the other type of person who doesn't believe any of this and just come here to debunk other peoples beliefs. I think there is far more real evidence for than against.. and ATS helps to correlate all that data. I have to go now.. for some reason my sit down place is sore.



[edit on 25-11-2009 by JohnPhoenix]

I imagine for some people it is, but since I can only speak for myself, it's a form of entertainment for me. I enjoy reading some of the stuff on here, sometimes I learn something new, sometimes I just cringe at what I am reading, and occasionally I get a few nasty U2U's calling me a government disinfo agent ( which is funny) because I use logic and reason to understand what I am looking at and do not automatically jump on the " zomg its teh alienz spaceshipz" bandwagon.

Overall, my time here has been fun, I wouldn't say it's a coping mechanism for me, but perhaps it does help other people out in that respect.

Yes anything can be a coping mechanism if used as such. For example food is something everyone needs but if overindulged in or used for pure pleasure it would be considered a coping mechanism.
It is sometimes hard to deal with reality and life so people just internet forums as a way to help look at reality differently or hide from it. By hiding behind consiracy theories it can keep the person from admitting something is real. I have often thought about things happening now "oh it is just a conspiracy theory".
I personally like this web site but sometimes I get on here to try to deal with things that are happening. I am studying psychology right now so I can see how anything can be used as a way to cope with life.

For me, and for many others I think, ATS is a place where people can go and share their beliefs with other like-minded people (for the most part) without worrying about being scrutinized by close friends and family. For me at least, I feel most comfortable talking about anything here because I come from a very conservative, down to earth family and group of friends who believe almost all of which they are told, even when I present valid evidence right in front of them. ATS is where you can get acceptance and decent, fair, constructive (most of the time ) discussion about almost anything.

ATS is a place where the minority can gather and become the majority... but I think the minority is becoming more and more of a majority nowadays...

[edit on 25/11/0909 by Monts]