Kumioko wrote:Unfortunately, as big a site as Wikipedia is, this is just one of those things we have to deal with sometimes and unfortunately we are not going to stop it every time. Personally this is at least the 3rd one I have seen (and others can probably list more).
The problem I have is this. Everyone knows that the editing environment sucks, is toxic and upsetting to people for a variety of reasons on a widespread level. It's talked about constantly here, on wiki and at the WMF. Yet nothing is done.
I submit that if someone were to start addressing the actual problem, which to me is the sites leadership (admins and functionaries) acting abusively and against policy, then a lot of these problems with anxiety and the toxic environment will work themselves out. It will take some time and patience but it can work. But only if it starts from the top down and only if someone, probably the WMF at this point, is willing enforce policy on the admin corps who are largely exempt from it.
Bullies in the workplace cause unnecessary anxiety and right now we have a number of admins that are nothing more than bullies and that needs to stop.
Not sure if a better work environment would help prevent such cases, might even have the opposite effect. Increasing editor retention will also increase the number of "unstable" or "vulnerable" editors staying around. They become more emotionally attached, and their reaction to adverse events (bans, blocks ...) will be more severe when they have been editing longer, imo.
I'm also not sure that it is a significant problem, WP may attract people with strong opinions, extreme views etc.. but I think most "suicide prone" individuals would prefer social network sites and forums.
Could be wrong of course, it's just my opinion, no hard facts to back it up.