I have personally found reading the posts in there to be enlightening rather than a negative experience. It helped me to better understand what my sister--an actively drinking alcoholic not in recovery--is going through. Through reading about their experiences I have learned that what my sister is doing is what alcoholics do. I find it much easier now to relate her behavior to the disease and consequently have been able to let go much more.
Yes we cry, scream, type, pull our hair out because of "their" behavior, but what I've learned is that, like my alcoholic sister, alcoholics will do what their disease dictates them to do, and until they realize something within and want to change, they won't. And their alcoholic traits will continue.
I've also been inspired by many who are "on the other side" on the forum--i.e. have decided to change and are actively seeking recovery. Their stories give me hope that my sister will one day find her way back.