This was a topic I recently started thinking about. As the awareness for diversity increases more and more celebrities are coming out into the open with their health conditions or speaking out about mental health issues.
Selena Gomez revealing she has lupus and is a transplant recipient.
https://www.kidney.org/newsletter/selena-gomez-announced-she-had-kidney-transplant
Sarah Hyland similarly suffered from kidney dysplasia and underwent two transplants.
The question remains: If you have a health condition, do you disclose this on social media?
What are the potential repercussions or benefits?
Do you actively engage or answer questions?
Does your health often interfere with your ability to participate in activities eg. employment, relationships?
Disclosing a medical condition on social media can come with a range of ‘side effects’
The article below discusses it in detail.
1.
Househ M, Borycki E, Kushniruk A. Empowering patients through social media: The benefits and challenges. Health Informatics Journal. 2014;20(1):50-58. doi:10.1177/1460458213476969
One of the biggest reasons to use social media being, it is a great distraction – a way to connect when you physically otherwise may not be able to and can help reduce boredom, immediate health worries and anxiety.
Also keeping in touch online allows you to stay connected with relationships. It allows others to gain an insight into individuals lives and can lead to greater overall awareness about the condition.
Patients are also able to share and describe their experiences and firsthand impressions related to their diseases using various social media platforms. Eg YouTube, Twitter and Facebook live stream.
Patients can describe their emotional perspectives and this provides the necessary coping skills, support and resources for other patients.
It can also make the transition from a very isolated space in a health setting (hospital, rehab centre, clinic etc) to ‘normal’ life somewhat easier.
Many people use social media platforms for professional reasons (e.g using instagram a to promote a small business while working from home)
“Facebook can be used for building identity, emotional support, logistical support and easy to access disease management information”
Greene, Health Informatics Journal 2011
It is a great tool as much of it can be done online – in a time when physical business may be restricted due to personal health reasons or issues such as COVID.
This can help with potentially increasing income for businesses – especially for individuals and businesses working in the digital space. Eg soft collar individuals (finance/tech professionals, designers, social media Influencers, content creators and online business owners)
The drawbacks of using social media are also significant however.
Greater social media usage has been directly linked with greater anxiety levels.
This can lead to a greater anxiety when seeing ‘influencers’ or others leading an ‘idealised’ social media life on instagram.
It leads to the questions: how much is real vs staged?
This I think is one of the many reasons for people questioning us. Instagram vs reality.
It also leads to people questioning us. Our lifestyle, our choices. Is this voicing concern or simple curiosity?
(Sometimes neither are appropriate, and it is necessary however challenging to say no)
Meanwhile sharing can also be therapeutic, some find it cathartic and it allows them to connect with others who may be going through similar experiences.
Especially as health conditions can cause individuals to become literally very isolated.
Physically being alone in clinics or hospital rooms as well as emotionally.
From a personal level I find balance is key. Having lived with this condition since childhood, social media was not an option in the early 2000’s and by default I lean more towards privacy. While I do update on some platforms – often taking time to detox helps me both mentally and physically.
I also engage in social media from time to time to explore my hobbies. Anything creative –
Writing
Fashion
Art
Rambling about my life
Posting my food photos
Hope you guys enjoy x
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