Original posters not returning to their threads?

and I agree with all of the above.

If the thread gets very derailed, as they are wont to do on here, I could understand why. OR if they ask for advice but then it turns into a negative pile-on and the person just feels insulted, I can also understand.

Maybe they get exasperated with people who don’t read the OP properly, and give ‘advice’ that ignores the info the OP has given.
This is a bad example, but ‘Why don’t you just get a job, then?’ when the OP has said that she already works p/t, or can’t anyway because she’s a full time carer.

That's true NellG but some acknowledgement that people have taken the time to respond would be nice.

I've noticed that sometimes they do, but their posts get lost in a further torrent of answers because those posters haven't read the thread, or even the few posts before their own and don't realise that they are saying the same thing as most others have. I think that the original posters just give up sometimes and wish they'd never asked! ?

Also some people are just rude.

Perhaps some don't realize it's meant to be a two way street?

I've often wondered. Sometimes people go into great depths and get good responses and then never bother to reply. Very odd.