Apology

Isn't it kind of a given that you can recover though? I mean it's always theoretically possible, but most of us who have dealt with it for years aren't exactly holding out a lot of hope. It's a bit like telling someone with cancer (who is already diagnosed as being terminal) that there is always a slight possibility of recovery, always the chance of a miracle, etc. At that point though, they've more than likely already accepted their fate and aren't open to hearing it.

Don't get me wrong, I think you came from a good place, but this topic always winds up being so clumsy and divisive that it's rarely worth going into. I probably wouldn't have opened up this thread either, there's a reason it was shut down to begin with.

I think if someone is looking to help people, at least on here, it's best to dive into the more personal sections of the forum (how-I-feel, maybe the blogs as well). Tailor your answers insofar as what you think a person can realistically try. Even just a little commiserating or relating to someone on an individual level is effective. Send a PM, ask how someone is doing today. Sometimes just a very basic, personal connection can keep someone going a little longer.

Ultimately I think there's a kind of knee-jerk reaction to threads that are kind of universally hopeful, especially those that include blanket statements. It's not because it's bad to have hope per se, but it's the nature of the beast when it comes to this condition - hope tends to feel like a kick in the balls if you've had DP a long time.